AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF EPOXY/BASALT/CARBON NANOTUBE COMPOSITES UNDER TENSILE AND FLEXURAL LOADINGS
This work details an experimental investigation on understanding the effects of multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the tensile and flexural properties of basalt fiber (BF)/epoxy laminated composites. As a first step, the surface of MWCNTs was modified with a silane coupling agent namely 3 Glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (3 GPTS) Fourier transform infrared (FT IR) data confirmed the reaction mechanism between the silane compound and MWCNTs. 3 GPTS/MWCNTs with various loadings (0, 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 wt. were added to the epoxy resin via mechanical and ultra sonication routes. The resultant mixtures were then utilized to fabricate MWCNT/woven BF/epoxy nanocomposites using hand layup technique. Mechanical properties of the composites were investigated under tensile and flexural loadings. Also, a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) was used to study the distribution level of MWCNTs in the matrix as well as the fracture surfaces of the specimens. The results revealed that at filler loading 0.3 wt. of 3 GPTS/MWCNTs, maximum improvements in tensile and flexural strengths and energy absorption of the BF/epoxy composites were obtained. Besides, the flexural and tensile moduli were enhanced continually by increasing the MWCNTs content. The microscopic investigations verified this subject that the addition of the 3 GPTS/MWCNTs to the matrix of BF/epoxy composite improves the BF matrix interface yielding enhanced mechanical properties.