Investigation of impact behavior of the nano-scaled particle filled hybrid composite plates

The present study aims to investigate the ability of graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs) inclusion effects on mechanical (tensile and flexural) and low-velocity impact (LVI) characteristics of glass, aramid, basalt and carbon fiber reinforced hybrid/non-hybrid composites. A high speed of mechanical stirrer was used for mixing of epoxy with GnPs particles at different GnPs weight contents (0, 0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 wt %), and the mixture of the GnPs enriched resin was applied to the fiber fabrics for different lay-up conditions by using the hand-layup and vacuum assisted hand lay-up method. Impact tests were performed by using a drop weight impact machine at the impact energy of 30J, and load to time/displacement history responses were evaluated and reported. Damage characteristics of the composite samples after the low-velocity impact tests were characterized and compared according to GnPs contents. In this way, the combined effects of GnPs loading and glass/aramid, glass/basalt, glass/carbon fiber hybridizations were investigated in detail. Results showed from this study that incorporation of GnPs particles at the certain concentrations significantly affected the impact resistance and mechanical properties of fiber reinforced hybrid/non-hybrid composites. However, excessive GnPs particle addition into the epoxy resin caused a reduction in mechanical and impact properties as a result of particle agglomeration with reducing load transferring from particle to matrix resin.