Chapter 24 - Nanofiber-reinforced nanocomposites for structural applications

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the replacement of conventional rubber-based bush of suspension kit by the fiber-reinforced nanocomposites. Although rubber has good elastic property, its susceptibility to impact loads, thermal, and humid aging phenomena restricts from prolonged application. To overcome these disadvantages an effort has been made to develop a hybrid bush material made up of polymer reinforced with nanoparticles. Graphene (Gr) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were selected as reinforcing filler materials in the polyurethane (PU) matrix. Gr is identified as a prospective reinforcing material due to its higher Brinell Hardness Number. CNFs have been less investigated as reinforcement filler in the PU matrix. Hence this work focuses on the utilization of these nanoparticles of Gr and CNFs in PU matrix for bush-kit suspension applications. Selected nanoparticles were reinforced in PU matrix with varied volume percentage from 0.1% to 0.4% in incremental steps of 0.1%. Gr-reinforced PU nanocomposites resulted into higher overall mechanical properties when compared to both plain PU base material and CNF-reinforced material. In both the cases of nanocomposites prepared at 0.3wt.% of reinforcement by weight of base matrix resulted in improved overall mechanical properties. Although plastics are brittle in nature these nanoparticle adhesion make them more suitable to withstand ductile loads thereby increasing the load-carrying capacity as well.