Enhancing mechanical properties of epoxy resin composites with aluminum oxide-modified graphene oxide

This study investigates the enhancement of epoxy resin (EP) for metal corrosion protection by addressing its inherent brittleness and susceptibility to voids and cracks during curing. We employed 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) to silanize aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and graphene oxide (GO), resulting in a modified GO filler (FGO). A novel EP composite (EP-FGO) was then formulated through solution blending techniques, with varying ratios of Al2O3 and GO. Our findings indicate that the optimal modification ratio of Al2O3 to GO is 0.5:1. Mechanical property testing revealed that the EP-FGO composites achieved peak performance with 0.3 % FGO addition, resulting in a tensile strength of 35 MPa, a flexural strength of 73.8 MPa, an impact strength of 9.361 kJ/m2, and a hardness of 68 HD. These results collectively demonstrate the superior mechanical performance of the composite, indicating its potential for improved durability in practical applications.