Title: Fabrication and mechanical characterisation of carbon fabric reinforced epoxy with alumina and molybdenum disulfide fillers

Authors: Bheemappa Suresha; Manpinder Singh Saini

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, The National Institute of Engineering, Mysuru – 570008, India ' Engineering Services Department, Infosys Limited, Mysuru – 570027, India

Abstract: In this research article, a systematic study has been carried out to investigate the mechanical properties of carbon fabric reinforced epoxy (C-E) composites, having alumina (Al₂O₃) in one instance and molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) of two different loadings in the epoxy matrix resin The study has revealed that with 60 wt.% carbon fabric loading brings superior mechanical properties to the epoxy matrix. The micron-phased (Al₂O₃/MoS₂ in epoxy resin) matrix is then utilised with T300 carbon fabric performs to fabricate hybrid laminated composites. The resulting structural hybrid composites have been tested under tensile and flexural loads to evaluate mechanical properties. The fillers were micron-sized Al₂O₃/MoS₂ particles which were mixed with epoxy resin using high shear mixer. The amount of particle loading varied in two steps viz. 5% and 10% by weight. It has been observed that microparticles inclusion increases the thermal stability of the system by enhancing cross-linking in the epoxy matrix. Microparticles also tend to reduce air void content of the as-fabricated hybrid composites and thus translate into increased mechanical properties. With 10 wt.% loading of MoS₂ in C-E enhanced the flexural strength and modulus by 20 and 40% respectively.

Keywords: carbon fabric reinforced epoxy; microfillers; mechanical properties.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAET.2018.088830

International Journal of Computer Aided Engineering and Technology, 2018 Vol.10 No.1/2, pp.89 - 101

Received: 22 Aug 2015
Accepted: 29 Feb 2016
Published online: 20 Dec 2017 *

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