Investigation of mechanical, tribological and drilling performances of graphite and B4C filled glass and carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites

In this study, the effects of graphite and B4C fillers on the mechanical, tribological and drilling performance of carbon and glass fiber reinforced epoxy composites were experimentally investigated. The production of glass and carbon fiber reinforced composite materials filled with graphite and B4C at different rates (5, 10 and 15 wt.%) was carried out by hand lay-up method. The produced composite materials were subjected to mechanical (tensile and flexural test), tribological (wear behavior) and drilling tests in different parameters. In addition, Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM) images of worm and fracture surfaces were examined. The addition of both B4C and graphite fillers to glass and carbon fiber reinforced composites caused a decrease in mechanical properties. It was determined that tensile and flexural strengths decreased more with increasing filling ratios. It was observed that B4C and graphite filler increase wear resistance in both glass and carbon fiber composites. In drilling operations, it was found that as the feed rate increased, the feed forces increase and the feed forces decreased as the cutting speed increases. The feed force values of glass fiber reinforced composites were lower than carbon fiber reinforced composites. It was determined that the delamination values of glass and carbon fiber reinforced composites decreased as the feed rate increases and increased as the cutting speed increases. It was found that the vibration and moment values of carbon fiber reinforced composite materials were higher than the glass fiber reinforced composite materials.