Low Velocity Impact and Mechanical Behaviour of Shot Blasted SiC Wire-Mesh and Silane-Treated Aloevera/Hemp/Flax-Reinforced SiC Whisker Modified Epoxy Resin Composites

Abstract

In this research the effect of adding silicon carbide nano whiskers (SiCw) into epoxy resin and the impact of reinforcing surface treated SiC wire-mesh (SiCwm) and woven aloevera/hemp/flax fibers (NF) were studied. The principal aim of this work was demonstrating the importance of adding SiCw (0.5 and 1.0 vol.%) and SiC wire-mesh with economical natural fibres (50 vol.%) and silane surface treatment on natural fibres in mechanical and low velocity impact behavior. The SiCw and natural fibres were surface treated by 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane whereas SiC wire-mesh was shot blasted. The composites were cured at room temperature using an aliphatic hardener Triethylenetetramine (TETA). The strength factor results showed that the silane surface modified composite designation ‘H4’ gave highest normalized strength of 98%. The highest tensile and flexural strength of 141 and 240 MPa was observed for silane surface modified composite designation ‘H4’. The low velocity impact damage behavior of ‘H4’ composite designation showed higher resistance against to penetration. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) morphological images showed uniform dispersion of surface-modified SiCw in epoxy resin. Similarly the silane treated natural fibre and shot blasted SiC wire-mesh given improved adhesion with matrix. These high damping polymer composites offers their application in automobile, structural and domestic sector.