Comparison of the Experimental Mechanical Properties and DMA Measurement of Nanoclay Hybrid Composites§

Abstract

 is study explores the eff ects of nanoclay addition on mechanical response of Glass/Carbon/Glass ë ber(G/C/G) reinforced epoxy matrix composite laminates under tensile and ì exural loadings. Organomodië ednanoclay containing Glass/Carbon/Glass hybrid composite laminate was evaluated for dynamic mechanicalproperties as well as mechanical strength, stiff ness and ductility.  ree diff erent weight fractions of nanoclaycontaining ë ber reinforced hybrid composites were manufactured.  e amount of nanoclay additions were0 wt %, 0.75 wt % and 1.25 wt % with respect to epoxy resin and hardener. A nanoclay containing epoxy– Glass/Carbon/Glass hybrid composite laminate were manufactured by using a hydraulic hot press.  en,tensile, ì exural tests and dynamic mechanic analysis (DMA) was implemented to ASTM standard specimenswhich were cut from the plates by using abrasive water jet cutter. Uniaxial tensile and three-point bendingtests have been carried out to obtain some mechanical characteristics such Young’s modulus, tensile strength,break strain, ì exural strength and modulus of the hybrid composites. DMA measurements also performed tocompare nanoclay eff ect.  e results of this study demonstrated that the mechanical behavior was positivelyaff ected by nanoclay addition into epoxy resin.  e tensile strength and ì exural strength signië cantly increasedcompared to the non-nanoclay hybrid composite (pure). However glass transition temperature (Tg) of hybridcomposites decreased with increasing amount of nanoclay.