Effects Of Kenaf And Basalt Facesheets Modified Nanosilica Of Closed Cell Aluminium Sandwich Panel

Abstract

Sandwich structure made of metal sheet and foam core is widely used in various industries due to its excellent energy absorption and impact resistance properties. Recently, fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) such as carbon fiber reinforced polymer and glass fiber reinforced polymer have been used in sandwich panel as a face sheet. The addition of filler into FRP system is expected to enhance the mechanical properties and improve the specific strength of the resulted FRP. This paper presents the impact response of silica nanoparticles filled kenaf fiber reinforced polymer (KFRP) and basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP) as a facesheet in sandwich structure. A series of nanocomposites, with 5wt%, 13wt% and 25wt% of silica nanoparticles were fabricated using mechanical stirrer. The KFRP and BFRP facesheets were fabricated using vacuum bagging method. The impact response of closed cell aluminium foam and natural FRP sandwich panel was investigated. It was found that, the addition of nanosilica into BFRP and KFRP facesheets results in higher energy absorbed required initiating the impact damage. The fractured surfaces of upper and lower face sheets and fracture mechanisms during impact test such as delamination between kenaf-nanomodified epoxy layers, basalt-nanomodified epoxy layers and aluminium core shear were evaluated.