Synergetic role of nanoparticles and micro-scale short carbon fibers on the mechanical profiles of epoxy resin

Abstract

Abstract. It was demonstrated in our previous work that the combined carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and microsized short carbon fibers (SCFs) in epoxy (EP) leads to significant improvements in the mechanical properties of the matrix. In this work, the effect of nano-SiO 2 particles, having an extremely different aspect ratio from CNFs, on the tensile property and fracture toughness of SCFs-filled EP was studied. It was revealed that the combined use of SCFs and silica nanoparticles exerts a synergetic effect on the mechanical and fracture properties of EP. Application of SCFs and the nanoparticles is an effective way to greatly enhance the modulus, strength and fracture toughness of the EP simultaneously. The synergetic role of the multiscale fillers was explained by prominent changes in the stress state near the microsized fillers and the plastic zone ahead of the crack tip. The synergetic role of multiscale fillers is expected to open up new opportunities to formulate highperformance EP composites.

On depression of glass transition temperature of epoxy nanocomposites

“…However, it is still uncertain how nanoparticles affect the glass transition behaviors of epoxy resins. In the literature, the glass transition temperatures (T g ) of epoxy resins have been reported to increase [1,[11][12][13], decrease [14][15][16][17][18], not change [19][20][21], or even show non-monotonic trend [22][23][24] as a function of filler content. This reflects the very complicated interactions between filler and resin, depending on numerous factors, such as type of epoxy resin and filler, surface physicochemistry of filler, filler loading, curing degree of epoxy, interfacial characters, etc.…”

Recent advances in fiber/matrix interphase engineering for polymer composites

“…The latter is improper as already reserved to indicate composites containing two or more different reinforcements. Composites with multiscale reinforcements are typically those which contain nano-and microscale reinforcements (which may be of different types and thus also hybrids) simultaneously [49].…”

Effect of hyperbranched epoxy resin on mechanical properties of short carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composites

“…3c), but this testing result decreases to 27. 6 after the incorporation of 12 phr Hyper E102 (Fig. 3d).…”

“…The researchers tried to introduce a second phase into the SCFRC or modify the surfaces of SCFs to improve their toughening and reinforcing effect. For example, Zhang et al [6] introduced nanosilica particles into the SCF/EP binary system, and their experimental results showed that stress concentration around the SCF/EP interfaces, especially near the end of the fibers, was efficiently relieved. Li et al [8] successfully prepared SCFRC with Cu-coated SCFs.…”

“…Compared with other micronsized fillers such as glass beads or alumina particles, SCFs have larger length to radius ratio (L/D ratio), and thus their reinforcing mechanisms are more complex. The studies have shown that fiber pull-out, debonding, and fiber breakage are the main reinforcing mechanisms of SCF-reinforced composites (SCFRC) [6,7].…”