Enhancement of carbon fiber/epoxy composite electrical, optical and thermal properties by using different types of nano-additives

Abstract

Environmental space threats are becoming more critical as they affect the optical, thermal, and electrical properties of the reinforced fiber polymeric-based materials in spacecraft. Three different Nano-particles Alumina (Al2,O3), Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT), and Reduced Graphene Oxide (RGO) were added to the epoxy matrix and then reinforced by bidirectional carbon fiber plain to form carbon fiber/epoxy by hand lay-up using autoclave curing technique to make three different reinforced materials. In this paper, the electrical, optical, and thermal properties of the carbon fiber/Epoxy Nanocomposite were studied.Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) was performed to evaluate the structural changes in the newly synthesized materials. The optical, thermal, and electrical properties were tested by UV-visible Spectroscopy, Photo-acoustic spectroscopy (PA), and Keithley 2635A respectively. The results showed an enhancement in the electrical, optical, and thermal properties of the epoxy matrix after the addition of Nano-particles.The optical test showed that the neat epoxy and epoxy/Nano-particles absorption spectra were in the infrared range. The thermal test indicated that the three thermal parameters diffusivity, effusivity, and conductivity showed the best enhancement after the addition of MWCNTs. The electrical test pointed out that after the addition of Nano-particles, neat epoxy changed from an insulating material to a semi-conductive material.