The simultaneous effect of graphene and nanoclay on the mechanical properties of multi-scale composite by dispersing and coating

• Published in: Journal of materials research and technology Vol. 37; pp. 4732 - 4738
• Main Authors: Ghadi, Aliakbar, Ebrahimnezhad-Khaljiri, Hossein, Ghezelbash, Ali
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.07.2025; Elsevier
• Subjects: Composites; Graphene platelets; Mechanical properties; Nanoclay; Polystyrene; Mechanical properties; Composites; Graphene platelets; Polystyrene; Nanoclay
• ISSN: 2238-7854
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmrt.2025.07.140

Up to now, the effect of various nanoparticles on the mechanical features of glass fibers/epoxy composites has been widely investigated. Adding two distinct nanoparticles at the same time into the glass fibers/epoxy composites is one of the interesting subjects for enhancing their mechanical features. With this point of view, this research aims to investigate the effect of graphene platelets (GNP) and nanoclay on the mechanical properties of glass fibers/epoxy composites by dispersing them in the epoxy matrix and coating on the surface of glass fibers. To do so, firstly the glass fibers were coated by GNP-nanoclay/polystyrene nanocomposite, then these nanoparticles were dispersed in the epoxy matrix. The mechanical features of fabricated composites were assessed by tensile and flexural tests. Also, the related mechanisms were characterized by FESEM method. The highest tensile (327 MPa) and flexural (432 MPa) strengths were obtained when both nanoparticles were dispersed in the epoxy matrix, which showed about 41 and 52 % improvements compared with the unreinforced glass fibers/epoxy composite with the nanoparticles. The highest elastic modulus (77.7 GPa) was achieved, when the nanoclay particles were dispersed in the epoxy matrix, and GNP was coated on the surface of glass fibers. On the other hand, the highest flexural modulus was obtained when both nanoparticles were located on the surface of glass fibers. As an interesting finding of this work, it can be suggested to disperse the nanoclay in the epoxy matrix and to coat GNP on the surface of glass fibers.