Abstract
Microwave absorption (MWA) materials such as graphene nanoplatelet (GNP)/epoxy are mostly used as coatings on existing structures without considering mechanical properties. In this work, we aim to enhance the mechanical strength of the composite for multifunctional potentials. We used carbon fiber (four layers) to reinforce GNP/epoxy composite (2 mm thick) and investigated their multifunctional properties with GNP loading from 3 to 7 wt%. We measured the tensile strength, hardness, and MW absorption (26.5 - 40 GHz) of composite samples. Our results showed an increase in tensile strength to 109.1 ± 7.9 MPa with 7 wt% GNP in the composite from 15.3 MPa for pure epoxy. The hardness of the composites was also substantially enhanced with GNP loading up to 7 wt%. A MW absorption ratio of 72% was attained for the sample with 7 wt% GNP loading near 40 GHz. The homogenous dispersion of GNPs in the matrix reduces the stress concentration and minimizes the influence of the defects. The high MW absorption and large transmission loss together with enhanced mechanical strength provides a novel multifunctional material for potential applications.
Highlights
We fabricated graphene nanoplatelet (GNP)/carbon fibers (CFs)/epoxy composites with GNP loadings from 3 to 7 wt%, CF/epoxy composite and pure epoxy
The measurement results show that the tensile strength of the GNP/CF/epoxy and CF/epoxy composites strongly depends on the CF and the GNP loading
The tensile strength of 109.1 ± 7.9 MPa was obtained for the sample with 7 wt% GNP loading and four plies of CF fabric (Figure S11)
Summary
In EMI shielding applications, mostly metal-based screening materials were used due to their high electrical conductivity [4]. Ferrites composed of ferrous oxide are used to suppress EMI and reduce high-frequency noise levels induced by electromagnetic devices. There is a continuous demand for the development of effective EMA materials in commercial and civilian applications. Many different materials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) [5] [6], carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) [7] have showed their potentials in the field of MWA applications
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