Title: Effect of EPS volume fraction in buoyancy characteristics of expanded polystyrene/epoxy sandwich composites

Authors: S. Arockia Reemas; R. Maheswaran

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mepco Schlenk Engineering College, Sivakasi-626005, Tamilnadu, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mepco Schlenk Engineering College, Sivakasi-626005, Tamilnadu, India

Abstract: In this study, the buoyancy characteristics of an expanded polystyrene spheres (EPS) embedded epoxy polymer based sandwich composites with aluminium skin are investigated. Composite which float at the pycnocline layers formulated by three fluids namely refined Helianthus annuus (sunflower) oil, brine solution and water are determined. Four composite samples EPS-22, EPS-29, EPS-36 and EPS-43 vol.% of EPS in the epoxy resin matrix core are fabricated by hand lay-up process. It is observed that the density of the composite is decreasing with increasing EPS volume fractions and the buoyant force acting on the samples at pycnocline layers are increased due to the density gradient. Results show that the sandwich composites with greater than EPS-36 and EPS-43 vol.% float in sunflower oil and composites having EPS-29 vol.% floats at the sunflower oil/fresh water pycnocline layer. Further, it is observed that composite with EPS-22 vol.% floats at the fresh/brine water pycnocline layer.

Keywords: epoxy resin; sandwich composites; lay-up method; physical properties.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMATEI.2017.088092

International Journal of Materials Engineering Innovation, 2017 Vol.8 No.2, pp.146 - 157

Received: 17 Jan 2017
Accepted: 09 Jun 2017

Published online: 21 Nov 2017 *

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