Characterization of thick carbon/basalt hybrid fiber polyester composites with graphene nanoplatelets

Abstract

Abstract The effect of the hybridization of basalt and carbon fabrics on physical and mechanical properties of the thick carbon and basalt hybrid woven composites manufactured by compression molding was investigated in this study. Monotype (all carbon and all basalt) and their hybrid woven fabric layer combinations were used to reinforce polyester resin. However, the effect of the Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNPs) reinforcement was also examined in polyester matrix by adding different volume fractions between 0.1 and 2 wt.-%. Afterward, the optimized GNPs at the ratio of 0.1 wt.-% was used in one of the hybrid composite combinations (10C10BGNP) in order to improve fiber matrix adhesion. The specimens were subjected to three different tests including tensile, flexural and impact tests as well as morphological characterization by SEM and XRD. Results showed that tensile strengths of thick carbon/basalt hybrid composites are higher than the tensile strengths of thick monotype carbon and basalt composites. The best tensile properties were achieved in 14C6BP hybrid composites while the highest flexural performance of 501 MPa and the highest impact energy of 14.32 J was achieved in 10C10BP hybrid composites with the addition of GNPs. Moreover, the ratio of the basalt fiber content increased the impact energy of hybrid composites to a level comparable to that of all basalt fiber composites.