Effects of silane surface modified alumina nanoparticles on the mechanical, thermomechanical, and ballistic impact performances of epoxy/oxidized UHMWPE composites

Abstract

AbstractIn this study, a new kind of hybrid material was prepared from various amounts of silane surface modified alumina nanoparticles, oxidized ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers, and epoxy resin. The reinforcing phases were selectively treated to achieve a fully connected network aiming an effective stress transfer between the constituents. The efficiency of the grafting mechanisms was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The developed hybrid materials were tested for their mechanical, thermomechanical, and ballistic performances. The mechanical results, namely tensile and bending, confirmed the positive effects of increasing the nanofillers amounts up to 5 wt%. The thermochemical properties analyzed by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) revealed consequent improvements in the storage modulus and glass transition temperature upon the addition of the nanophase. In the meantime, the ballistic tests evaluated under the National Institute of Justice standard (NIJ standard‐0101.06‐IIA) also highlighted an improved kinetic energy absorption following the increase in the amounts of the discontinuous phase. Subsequent experimentations precisely quantified the required number of plies for an effective projectile stopping under the chosen standard. Overall, this study unraveled for the first time ever the benefits obtained from a fully connected hybrid network under both static and dynamic loads.