Thermal Shock Effect of Nano-TiO₂ Enhanced Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymeric Composites: An Assessment on Tensile and Thermal Behavior

Abstract:

Fiber reinforced polymeric (FRP) composite materials are currently used in numerous structural and materials related applications. But, during their in-service period these composites were exposed to different changing environmental conditions. Present investigation is planned to explore the effect of thermal shock exposure on the mechanical properties of nanoTiO₂ enhanced glass fiber reinforced polymeric (GFRP) composites. The samples were conditioned at +70°C temperature for 36 h followed by further conditioning at – 60°C temperature for the similar interval of time. In order to estimate the thermal shock influence on the mechanical properties, tensile tests of the conditioned samples were carried out at 1 mm/min loading rate. The polymer phase i.e. epoxy was modified with different nanoTiO₂ content (i.e. 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 wt. %). The tensile strength of 0.1 wt.% nanoTiO₂ GFRP filled composites exhibited higher ultimate tensile strength (UTS) among all other composites. The possible reason may be attributed to the good dispersion of nanoparticles in polymer matrix corresponds to proper stress transfer during thermal shock conditioning. In order to access the variations in the viscoelastic behavior and glass transition temperature due to the addition of nanoTiO₂ in GFRP composite and also due to the thermal shock conditioning, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) measurements were carried out. Different modes of failures and strengthening morphology in the composites were analyzed under scanning electron microscope (SEM).

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volume 978)
• Pages: 277-283
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.978.277
• Online since: February 2020
• Authors: Kishore Kumar Mahato*, Krishna Chaitanya Nuli, Krishna Dutta, Rajesh Kumar Prusty, Bankim Chandra Ray
• Keywords: Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA), Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP), Nano-TiO₂, Thermal Shock, Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS)

References

[1] K.K. Mahato, K. Dutta, B.C. Ray, Static and Dynamic Behavior of Fibrous Polymeric Composite Materials at Different Environmental Conditions, J. Polym. Environ. 26 (2017) 1024–1050.

DOI: 10.1007/s10924-017-1001-x

[2] R.K. Nayak, K.K. Mahato, B.C. Ray, Water absorption behavior, mechanical and thermal properties of nano TiO2 enhanced glass fiber reinforced polymer composites, Compos. Part Appl. Sci. Manuf. 90 (2016) 736–747.

DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2016.09.003

[3] J. Kathi, K.-Y. Rhee, J.H. Lee, Effect of chemical functionalization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane on mechanical and morphological properties of epoxy nanocomposites, Compos. Part Appl. Sci. Manuf. 40 (2009) 800–809.

DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2009.04.001

[4] R.K. Nayak, K.K. Mahato, B.C. Routara, B.C. Ray, Evaluation of mechanical properties of Al2O3 and TiO2 nano filled enhanced glass fiber reinforced polymer composites, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 133 (2016).

DOI: 10.1002/app.44274

[5] K.K. Mahato, D.K. Rathore, K. Dutta, B.C. Ray, Effect of loading rates of severely thermal-shocked glass fiber/epoxy composites, Compos. Commun. 3 (2017) 7–10.

DOI: 10.1016/j.coco.2016.11.001

[6] B.C. Ray, Loading Rate Sensitivity of Glass Fiber–Epoxy Composite at Ambient and Sub-ambient Temperatures, J. Reinf. Plast. Compos. 25 (2006) 329–333.

DOI: 10.1177/0731684406060246

[7] B.C. Ray, Effects of crosshead velocity and sub-zero temperature on mechanical behaviour of hygrothermally conditioned glass fibre reinforced epoxy composites, Mater. Sci. Eng. A. 379 (2004) 39–44.

DOI: 10.1016/j.msea.2003.11.031

[8] K.K. Mahato, A.O. Fulmali, R. Kattaguri, K. Dutta, R.K. Prusty, B.C. Ray, Effect of severely thermal shocked MWCNT enhanced glass fiber reinforced polymer composite: An emphasis on tensile and thermal responses, IOP Conf. Ser. Mater. Sci. Eng. 338 (2018) 012057.

DOI: 10.1088/1757-899x/338/1/012057

[9] O. Asi, An experimental study on the bearing strength behavior of Al2O3 particle filled glass fiber reinforced epoxy composites pinned joints, Compos. Struct. 92 (2010) 354–363.

DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2009.08.014

[10] A. Omrani, A.A. Rostami, Understanding the effect of nano-Al2O3 addition upon the properties of epoxy-based hybrid composites, Mater. Sci. Eng. A. 517 (2009) 185–190.

DOI: 10.1016/j.msea.2009.03.076

[11] Y. Hu, G. Du, N. Chen, A novel approach for Al2O3/epoxy composites with high strength and thermal conductivity, Compos. Sci. Technol. 124 (2016) 36–43.

[12] D.S. Kumar, M.J. Shukla, K.K. Mahato, D.K. Rathore, R.K. Prusty, B.C. Ray, Effect of post-curing on thermal and mechanical behavior of GFRP composites, IOP Conf. Ser. Mater. Sci. Eng. 75 (2015) 012012.

DOI: 10.1088/1757-899x/75/1/012012

[13] G. Tsagaropoulos, A. Eisenberg, Dynamic Mechanical Study of the Factors Affecting the Two Glass Transition Behavior of Filled Polymers. Similarities and Differences with Random Ionomers, Macromolecules. 28 (1995) 6067–6077.

DOI: 10.1021/ma00122a011