Hybrid Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Composites for Pultrusion: Mechanical and Thermal Properties

Abstract

Hybrid glass/carbon fibre reinforced epoxy (GF/CF/Epoxy) composites have been manufactured by pultrusion processes, in order to obtain the best mechanical properties, thermal properties and optimum price of hybrid GF/CF/Epoxy composites for pultrusion. The static mechanical properties including flexural strength, flexural modulus, notched Izod impact strength and swelling ratio, the dynamic mechanical properties including dynamic storage modulus, E’ and tan δ (T), and the thermal properties including of weight loss by TGA of pultruded hybrid GF/CF/Epoxy composites were investigated. The results showed that the flexural modulus increased with the increasing of carbon fibre content. The flexural strength, notched Izod impact strength and swelling ratio of pultruded composites decreased with increasing carbon fibrecontent. The E’ of pultruded composites increased with the carbon fibre content, postcuring temperature and postcuring time. The peak of tanδ for pultruded composites was shifted to a higher temperature when the carbon fibre content, postcuring temperature, and postcuring time were increased. From TGA, the weight loss of pultruded composites decreased with the carbon fibre content, postcuring temperature, and postcuring time in an inert (N2 gas) atmosphere, and the char yield increased with the carbon fibre content, postcuring temperature, and postcuring time. From the SEM morphology, excellent wet-out of the hybrid fibre by the epoxy resin could be observed.