Effects of Fiber Type and Hybridization on the Tensile Properties and Fracture Behavior of Epoxy Composites

Abstract:

This study investigates the effects of fiber type and hybridization on the tensile properties of epoxy composites produced using the temperature-controlled vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTIM) method. Tensile strengths and fracture behaviors are examined by fabricating 6-layer glass fiber-reinforced composites [G6], 6-layers carbon fiber-reinforced composites [C6], and hybrid composites consisting of six layers of glass and carbon fibers [H1] and [H2]. The microstructures of the composites are analyzed using an optical microscope, and tensile tests are conducted in accordance with ASTM standards. Tensile tests are performed at a constant speed and room temperature, and the fracture surfaces after tensile testing are analyzed using a Stereo Microscope. The results showed that the highest tensile strength is achieved in the carbon fiber-reinforced composite (CFRP), with an increase of approximately 123% compare to the glass fiber-reinforced composite (GFRP). Hybrid composite exhibits the reduced tensile strength compare to CFRP, with decreases of 23% for H2 and 29% for H1, respectively, whereas, increased the fracture toughness of the tested samples. Additionally, fracture surface analysis reveals that GFRP exhibits incomplete separation of the fractured surfaces, while CFRP shows a brittle and clean fracture surface. This study highlights the significant impact of fiber type and hybridization on the tensile property and fracture behavior of epoxy composite, demonstrating the better tensile performance of CFRP, while improving the fracture toughness and manufacturing cost of both GFRP and Hybrid composite.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 1037)
• Pages: 35-47
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-mvX55B
• Online since: January 2026
• Authors: Yusuf Sahin*
• Keywords: Carbon, Fiber Type, Fracture Surface, Glass, Hybrid Composite, Tensile Strength, VARTIM

References

[1] Şahin, Y. " Introduction to Composite Materials/Kompozit Malzemelere Giriş", 4th Edition, Ankara, Seçkin Yayın & Dağıtım Ltd, 2021.

[2] Kaw, K. "Mechanics of Composite Materials", Second Edition, New York, CRC Taylor & Francis Group, 2006.

[3] Dıaz, J., Rubio, L. "Developments to manufacture structural aeronautical parts in carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic materials", Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 143–144 (2003) 342-346.

DOI: 10.1016/s0924-0136(03)00450-3

[4] Şahin, Y., Patrick, DB. "Development of epoxy composites containing basalt and carbon fabrics and their mechanical behaviors", International Journal of Metallurgy and Metal Physics, 3 (025) (2018) 2-15.

[5] Karthik, K., Rajamani, D., Manimaran, A., Udayaprakas, j. "Evaluation of tensile properties on glass/carbon/kevlar fiber reinforced hybrid composites", Materials today: Proceedings, 39 (4), (2021) 1655-1660.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2020.06.049

[6] Muralidhara, B., Kumaresh Babua, SP., Suresha, B. "The effect of fiber architecture on the mechanical properties of carbon/epoxy composites", Materials Today: Proceedings, 22 (2020) 1755–1764.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2020.03.008

[7] Şahin, Y., Alsayed, M., Güntürk, MM. "Production processing of fabric reinforced composites by vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding", 6th International Conference on Engineering, Technology&Management, Istanbul/Turkey, 115-126, 3-5 Dec. 2021.

[8] Gajjar, T., Shah, DB., Joshib, SJ., Patel, KM. "Analysis of process parameters for composites manufacturing using vacuum infusion process", Materials Today: Proceedings, 21 (2020) 1244– 1249.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2020.01.112

[9] Hashim, N., Majid, DL., Uda, N., Zahari, R., Yidris, N." Vacuum infusion method for woven carbon/Kevlar reinforced hybrid composite", IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 270 (2017) 012021.

DOI: 10.1088/1757-899x/270/1/012021

[10] Bora, J., Kirtania, S. "Comparative study of elastic properties and mode I fracture energy of carbon nanotube/epoxy and carbon fibre/epoxy laminated composites", Micro and Nano Systems Letters, 8 (19) (2020) 2-10.

DOI: 10.1186/s40486-020-00120-1

[11] Ma, Y., Ueda, M., Yokozeki, T., Sugahara, T., Yang, Y., Hamada, H. "A comparative study of the mechanical properties and failure behavior of carbon fiber/epoxy and carbon fiber/polyamide 6 unidirectional composites", Composite Structures, 160 (2017) 89-99.

DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2016.10.037

[12] Pandya, KS., Veerraju, Ch., Naik, NK. "Hybrid composites made of carbon and glass woven fabrics under quasi-static loading", Materials & Design, 32 (7) (2011) 40944099.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2011.03.003

[13] Zhang, J., Chaisombat, K., Chun, H., Wang, H. "Hybrid composite laminates reinforced with glass/carbon woven fabrics for lightweight load bearing structures", Materials & Design, 36 (2012) 75-80.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2011.11.006

[14] Naresh, K., Shankar, K., Rao, BS., Velmurugan, R." Effect of high strain rate on glass/carbon/hybrid fiber reinforced epoxy laminated composites", Composites Part B: Engineering, 100 (2016) 125-135.

DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2016.06.007

[15] Ou, Y., Zhu, D., Zhang, H., Huang, L., Yao, Y., Li, G., & Mobasher, B. "Mechanical characterization of the tensile properties of glass fiber and its reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite under varying strain rates and temperatures", Polymers, 8(5) (2016) 196-201.

DOI: 10.3390/polym8050196

[16] Guo,R., Xian, G., Li, C., Huang, X., Xin, M. "Effect of fiber hybridization types on the mechanical properties of carbon/glass fiber reinforced polymer composite rod", Mechanics of Advanced Materials and Structures, 29(1) (2021) 1-13.

DOI: 10.1080/15376494.2021.1974620

[17] Özsoy, MI. "Investigation of the mechanical properties of carbon and basalt fiber laminated hybrid epoxy composites", Pamukkale Universitesi Muhendislik Bilimleri Dergisi, 28 (4) (2022) 499 – 505.

DOI: 10.5505/pajes.2021.42387

[18] Sahin, Y. "Effect of fiber stacking sequence on mechanical property of polymeric composite through VARTIM method and metallographic examination", The Eurasia Proceedings of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (EPSTEM), 26 (2023) 685-692.

DOI: 10.55549/epstem.1412486

[19] Şahin, Y."Mechanical and thermal property of carbon fiber reinforced composites", Advances in Science and Technoogy, 158 (2024) 43-54.

[20] Şahin, Y. "Cam, karbon ve cam+karbon bazlı epoksi kompozitlerin ısı kontrollü vakum infüzyon reçine transfer metodu ile üretimi ve mekanik özelliklerinin iyleştirilmesi(Manufacturing of Glass, Carbon and Hybrid epoxy based composites via Temperature-Controlled Vacuum Resin Transfer Method and improvements of mechanical properties)", Nişantaşı Üniversitesi Bilimsel Araştırmalar Koordinasyon Birimi, BAP10/2020, İstanbul, Turkey, Eylül 2022.

DOI: 10.35414/akufemubid.1202306

[21] Ary Subagia, IDG., Kim, Y. "Tensile behavior of hybrid epoxy composite laminate containing carbon and basalt fibers", Science and Engineering of Composite Materials, 21 (2) (2014) 211- 217.

DOI: 10.1515/secm-2013-0003

[22] Sandeep B., Chandana, R., Chethan, G. Rao. "Study on Mechanical properties of synthetic fibers reinforced epoxy hybrid composites for automobile application", Scholars International Journal of Chemistry and Materials Science, 5(10) (2022) 172-178.

DOI: 10.36348/sijcms.2022.v05i10.003

[23] Rahmani, H., Najafi, SHM., Ashori, A. "Mechanical performance of epoxy/carbon fiber laminated composites", Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites, 33 (2014) 733–740.

DOI: 10.1177/0731684413518255

[24] Harper, L., Turner,T., Martin, J., Warrior, N."Fiber alignment in directed carbon fiber preforms – A feasibility study" , Journal of Composite Materials, 43 (1) (2009) 57-74.

DOI: 10.1177/0021998308098151

[25] Paiva, JMF., Mayer, S., Rezende, MC. "Comparison of tensile strength of different fabric reinforced epoxy composites", Materials Research, 9 (1)(2006) 83-89.

DOI: 10.1590/s1516-14392006000100016

[26] Agrawal, SA., Bhattacharya, S. "Mechanical performance of woven carbon reinforced epoxy composites with varied orientation angle", Journal of Metals, Materials and Minerals, 31 (4) (2021) 82-87.

[27] Guru Raj, MN., Hari Rao, AN. "Influence of angle ply orientation on tensile properties carbon/glass hybrid composites", Journal of Mineral, Materials Characterization and Engineering, 1 (2013) 231-235.

DOI: 10.4236/jmmce.2013.15036

[28] Çeçen, V., Sarıkanat, M. "Experimental characterization of traditional composites manufactured by vacuum assisted resin transfer molding", Journal of Applied Polymers, 107 (3) (2008) 1822- 1830.

DOI: 10.1002/app.27235

[29] Sahin,Y. "Effect of fiber orientation on mechanical property of carbon/epoxy composites", 7th International Conference on Recent Advances in Automotive and Mobility Research, (ReCAR 2024), September 25-25, 2024. Akademia Siber Teknopolis (AST), UKM/Malasia.

[30] Raajeshkrishna, CR.,· Chandramohan,P. "Effect of reinforcements and processing method on mechanical properties of glass and basalt epoxy composites", SN Applied Sciences, 2 (2020) 959-963. |.

DOI: 10.1007/s42452-020-2774-4

[31] Esleman, EA., Onal, G. "Tensile and flexural properties of basalt-carbon-glass/epoxy hybrid composites", Selcuk University Journal of Engineering Science, 21 (2022) 9-14.

[32] Dorigato, A., Pegoretti A. "Flexural and impact behavior of carbon/basalt fibers hybrid laminates", Journal of Composite Materials, 48 (2013) 1121-1130.

DOI: 10.1177/0021998313482158

[33] Ary Subagia, IDG., Kim, Y., Tijing, LD., Kim, CS., Shon, HK. "Effect of stacking sequence on the flexural properties of hybrid composites reinforced with carbon and basalt fibers", Composites Part B: Engineering, 58 (2014) 251-258.

DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2013.10.027

[34] Nagarajaa, KC., Rajannab, S., Prakash, GS., Rajeshkumar, G. "The role of stacking order on mechanical properties of glass/carbon reinforced epoxy hybrid composites prepared by resin infusion technique", Materials Today: Proceedings, 22 (2020) 2446–2451.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2020.03.371

[35] Patel, N., Patel, K., Gohil, P., Chaudhry, V. "Investigations on mechanical strength of hybrid basalt/glass polyester composites", International Journal of Applied Engineering Research, vol. 13(6) (2018) 4083-4088.

[36] Lapena, MH, Marinucci, G. "Mechanical characterization of basalt and glass fiber epoxy composite tube", Materials Research, 21(1) (2018), 20170324.

DOI: 10.1590/1980-5373-mr-2017-0324

[37] Amuthakkannan, P., Manikandan, V., Uthayakumar, M. "Mechanical properties of basalt and glass fiber reinforced polymer hybrid composites", Journal of Advanced Microscopy Research, 9 (2014) 1-6.

DOI: 10.1166/jamr.2014.1185

[38] Ramesh, V., Anand, P. "Hybridization effect on mechanical properties of Basalt/Kevlar/Epoxy composite laminates", Polymers, 14 (7) (2022) 1382-1385.

DOI: 10.3390/polym14071382

[39] ASTM International, https://www.astm.org/Standards/D3039/D3039M-14. "Standard test method for tensile properties of polymer matrix composite materials", Washington, USA. Nov.2017.

[40] Esleman, E.A., Onal, G. "Tensile and flexural properties of basalt-carbon-glass/epoxy hybrid composites", Selcuk University Journal of Engineering Sciences, 21(01) (2022) 9-14.

[41] Seshaiah, T., Kumar Reddy, K. V. "Effect of fiber orientation on the mechanical behavior of E-glass fibre reinforced epoxy composite materials", International Journal of Mechanical and Production Engineering Research and Development (IJMPERD), 8 (4) (2018) 379-396.

DOI: 10.24247/ijmperdaug201840

[42] Khalid, M. Y., Nasir, M.A., ·Ali, A., ·Rashid, A. A.,·Khan, M. R. "Experimental and numerical characterization of tensile property of jute/carbon fabric reinforced epoxy hybrid composites", SN Applied Sciences, 2 (577) (2020) 2403-2.|.

DOI: 10.1007/s42452-020-2403-2