Title: A comparative study on the mechanical properties of carbon and glass fibre-reinforced epoxy, polyester and vinyl ester-based composites

Authors: İsmail Durgun

Addresses: TOFAS R&D, Yeni Yalova Yolu Caddesi No: 574, PK.16369 Osmangazi, Bursa, Turkey

Abstract: In this paper, the effects of reinforcing and matrix material on the mechanical properties of composites were investigated. Carbon fibre (CF) and glass fibre (GF) are the most useful reinforcement materials in polymer-based composites, their major use being the manufacture of components in the aerospace, automotive and leisure industries. In this study, epoxy, polyester and vinyl ester-based matrix materials reinforced by CFs and GFs were manufactured by hand lay-up method. Mechanical properties were investigated by tensile and flexural testing methods. Composites with polyester-based and CF-reinforced composites exhibited the highest mechanical properties, whereas the epoxy-based and GF-reinforced composites showed lower mechanical properties.

Keywords: polyester composites; epoxy composites; vinyl ester composites; glass fibre composites; carbon fibre composites; tensile testing; flexural testing; reinforcement materials; fibre-reinforced composites; mechanical properties.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.2016.078791

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 2016 Vol.71 No.1/2/3/4, pp.358 - 363

Accepted: 31 Jan 2016
Published online: 02 Sep 2016 *

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