The reinforcing effect of clay on the mechanical properties of nitric acid-treated fluorosilicone rubber filled PI composites

Abstract

The mechanical behaviour of fluorosilicone rubber-filled PI composites with and without clay was investigated. The clay filled fluorosilicone rubber composite had the highest interlaminar shear strength value of all the combinations because its higher bond strength may have hindered a large fibre/matrix debonding. The maximum tensile strength was observed for 20 vol% fluorosilicone rubber/PI/5vol%clay composite. The interlaminar shear strength of clay filled fluorosilicone rubber/PI composite was greater than that of fluorosilicone rubber/PI composite, which shows that the adhesion factor of the combination of the PI and fluorosilicone rubber was greater.