Investigation of the crushing behavior, damage analyses and aging effect of cylindrical boxes manufactured from graphene added hybrid composite materials

In the automotive sector, many studies are being carried out to ensure passenger safety and preserve vehicle integrity. Studies are ongoing to ensure passenger safety during accidents and to prevent possible injuries or deaths. For this reason, materials that will absorb the energy generated during an accident are gaining importance. Here, the lightness of the material to be used is as important as the energy absorption feature. Their lightness makes composite materials important for use as crash boxes in vehicles., In this study, 6 different types of composite cylindrical boxes and composites produced with 2 different rates (0.25% and 0.50%) of graphene reinforcement in these boxes and also subjected to 2 different rates of aging (500 hours and 1000 hours in 60 oC pure water), i.e. a total of 54 different samples, were subjected to semi-static compression tests. The specimens were produced by vacuum infusion method with epoxy resin matrix as glass fibre, aramid fibre, carbon fibre and hybridisation of these fibres from inside to outside as aramid-carbon-glass, carbon-glass-aramid, glass-aramid-carbon. Compression tests were carried out at a speed of 2mm/min. After the tests, peak forces, energy absorption properties and specific energy absorption properties of reinforced, unreinforced and aged samples were analysed and the results obtained were interpreted. The highest maximum peak force, energy absorption property and specific energy absorption property were determined in the carbon fiber composite cylindrical box with epoxy resin matrix. Graphene reinforcement was found to be significantly effective on peak force, energy absorption and specific energy absorption in epoxy resin matrix aramid fibre.