Bulk cure study of nanoclay filled epoxy glass fiber reinforced composite material

Abstract

The correlation between cure properties and structure of nanoclay filled composite laminate has not been studied extensively. Most of the cure studies were preferably done using small samples through a calorimetric method. In this study, the effect of varying weight ratio of nanoclay (1–5 wt%) on bulk cure properties of epoxy glass fiber reinforced composite (GFRC) laminates was studied. Bulk cure of unfilled and clay filled GFRC laminates was determined using the dynamic mechanical analysis-reheat method (DMA-RM). DMA-RM cure properties gave a better coordinate method, with better cure efficiency achieved in clay filled GFRC laminates when compared to unfilled GFRC laminates. The correlation between nanoclay and DMA-RM degree of cure was coordinated with compressive and in-plane shear strength properties. The degree of cure value of 78% by DMA-RM at 1 wt% clay filled GFRC corresponds with the compressive modulus and in-plane shear strength highest values, which are 20% and 14% increase, respectively, also at 1 wt% clay filled GFRC. The structures of the unfilled and clay filled epoxy were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Clay filled epoxy up to 3 wt% showed no distinct diffraction peak, which suggested that nanoclay is randomly dispersed in the matrix.