Experimental, Numerical, and Analytical Study on The Effect of Graphene Oxide in The Mechanical Properties of a Solvent-Free Reinforced Epoxy Resin

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology for manufacturing nanocomposites from an epoxy resin reinforced with graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles. A scalable and sustainable fabrication process, based on a solvent-free method, is proposed with the objective of achieving a high level of GO dispersion, while maintaining matrix performance. The results of three-point bending tests are examined by means of an analytical technique which allows determining the mechanical response of the material under tension and compression from flexural data. As result, an increase of 39% in the compressive elastic modulus of the nanocomposite is found with the addition of 0.3 wt % GO. In parallel, we described how the strain distribution and the failure modes vary with the amount of reinforcement based on digital image correlation (DIC) techniques and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A novel analytical model, capable of predicting the influence of GO content on the elastic properties of the material, is obtained. Numerical simulations considering the experimental conditions are carried out. the full strain field given by the DIC system is successfully reproduced by means of the finite element method (FEM). While, the experimental failure is explained by the crack growth simulations using the eXtended finite element method (XFEM).

Mechanical properties of aerospace epoxy composites reinforced with 2D nano-fillers: current status and road to industrialization

“…Flexural modulus and strength improved by 12% and 23%, respectively, at 1 wt.% GO loading. Mun᷃ oz et al [108] reported 39% and 13% improvement in compressive elastic modulus and flexural modulus, respectively, for 0.3 wt.% commercially available GO-loaded epoxy. Xue et al [98] reported an improvement of 10%, 9% and 56% in E, UTS and lap shear strength at 1 wt.% GO loading in epoxy, respectively.…”

Effect of the Mixing Technique of Graphene Nanoplatelets and Graphene Nanofibers on Fracture Toughness of Epoxy Based Nanocomposites and Composites

“…Singer et al [ 21 ] have employed the ball-milling process in order to reduce the cluster dimensions and obtained a homogeneous dispersion of CNFs in the epoxy matrix: the flexural modulus and strength result were higher, compared to the neat matrix (14 and 13%, respectively). Munoz et al [ 22 ] have developed a graphene oxide dispersion technique that involves many steps of mechanical dispersion in water and centrifugation, finally followed by a freeze-drying step of the GO suspension: the so obtained aerogel is mechanically mixed with the epoxy matrix and the resulting nanocomposite is characterized by an improvement of the compression strength (+39%) with only 0.3 wt% of GO. Furthermore, in the case of CFRPs, the approach consisting of the addition of micro/nanoparticles [ 23 , 24 ] to the polymer matrix, allows to remarkably improve their mechanical properties: for example, in the work of Mostovoy et al [ 25 ], the addition of the APTES/aminoacetic acid functionalized graphene oxide induces an increase in the tensile strength and modulus of about 39% and 31%, respectively, due to the improvement of the interfacial strength between the fibers and the matrix.…”

Polystyrene nanocomposites reinforced with phenyl isocyanate-treated cellulose nanofibers

“…On the other hand, in the case of the upper part subjected to compressive stress, the fracture surface with cleavage and 'river pattern' observed is typical of brittle fracture behavior. In the brittle fractures, contrary to ductile fractures, crack propagates rapidly, which results in no appreciable plastic deformation [34][35][36][37].…”