EFFECT OF NANOCLAY CONTENT ON FLEXURAL PROPERTIES OF GLASS FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER (GFRP) COMPOSITES

This paper presents a study on the flexural properties of glass fiber reinforced polymer composites. The epoxy-nanoclay resin was milled using a three roll mill machine to produce exfoliated structure nanocomposites. The fiber laminates specimens were manufactured by vacuum bagging system. These specimens were tested in the three point bend configuration following the ASTM D7264. The flexural modulus, flexural strength and strain to failure were then determined based on the flexural test results. The results showed that flexural modulus and flexural strength increases when a certain amount of nanoclay was included in the resin system. A maximum of 80% and 37% improvement of flexural strength and flexural modulus, respectively, were found at 5 wt% nanoclay content when compared to the neat GFRP composite. The improved properties of GFRP composites were achieved mostly due to an increase on the interfacial surface areas as well as a welldispersion of nanoclay in the GFRP composite system. The fracture surfaces of specimens after flexural test were observed under FESEM. The results showed that the compressive failure region in the fiber was a dominant failure mechanism of the specimens due to a large compressive area on the fracture surface.