Title: Experimental investigation and characterisation of two-phase graphene modified epoxy nanocomposites

Authors: Mahendra L. Shelar; Vinod B. Suryawanshi

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute, Matunga, Mumbai – 4000019, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute, Matunga, Mumbai – 4000019, India

Abstract: Graphene's exceptional qualities have piqued the interest of scientists and business people alike. Its potential as a reinforcement in composite materials is another area where it has attracted a lot of attention from researchers. Graphene with its remarkable properties stands out as the most important nanofiller for reinforcement. Graphene's dispersion and interfacial adhesion with the polymer determine the composite's performance. In this study, graphene was dispersed effectively in epoxy resin through a multi-stage process. The tensile behaviour of the nanocomposite was studied to determine the effect of the addition of various weight percents of graphene on the mechanical properties of epoxy resin. The fractured surfaces were analysed using a scanning electron microscope. The tensile test revealed that, compared to pure epoxy, the graphene-reinforced epoxy has higher tensile strength and Young's modulus of 15.33% and 31%, respectively, at 0.2 wt. %. For a larger graphene content, tensile strength was lower than epoxy.

Keywords: dispersion; graphene; polymer composite; mechanical characterisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMATEI.2024.138607

International Journal of Materials Engineering Innovation, 2024 Vol.15 No.2, pp.172 - 183

Received: 04 Oct 2022
Accepted: 07 Jan 2023
Published online: 15 May 2024 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article