Abstract
The quest for multifunctional carbon fiber reinforced composites (CFRPs) expedited the use of several nano reinforcements such as zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Zinc oxide is a semi-conductor with good piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties. These properties could be transmitted to CFRPs when a nanophase of ZnO is embedded within CFRPs. In lieu of ZnO nanorods, Bucky paper comprising mat of CNTs could be sandwiched in-between composite laminae to construct a functionally graded composite with enhanced electrical conductivities. In this study, different configurations of hybrid composites based on carbon fibers with different combinations of ZnO nanorods and Bucky paper were fabricated. The composites were tested mechanically via tensile and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) tests to examine the effect of the different nanoadditives on the stiffness, strength and the damping performance of the hybrid composites. Electrical resistivities of the hybrid composites were probed to examine the contributions of the different nanoadditives. The results suggest that there are certain hybrid composite combinations that could lead to the development of highly multifunctional composites with better strength, stiffness, damping and electrical conductivity.
Highlights
Structural carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRPs) are utilized in applications where good fatigue resistance, elevated specific strength and stiffness are required
One concludes that the presence of a nanophase such as MWCNTs or zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO) nanowires or both assists in forming continuous conductive pathways, which translates to better conductivity
Zinc oxide nanorods were grown on carbon fibers utilizing a low temperature hydrothermal synthesis procedure
Summary
Structural carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRPs) are utilized in applications where good fatigue resistance, elevated specific strength and stiffness are required. Unlike CNTs, despite their extraordinary physical properties, there are fewer reports on the effect of ZnO as interfacial reinforcement for CFRPs. Allington et al [43] tested the shear strength of a single carbon fiber sheathed with ZnO nanowires (NWs) and reported 113%. Skandani et al [9], reported 50% enhancement in the CFRPs loss modulus upon growing ZnO nanorods on the interface using RF magnetron sputtering for catalyst deposition This improvement was attributed to the amplified interfacial area between the NWs and the epoxy matrix. Various configurations of two-ply CFRPs composites incorporating different combinations of ZnO nanorods and Bucky paper are fabricated These hybrid composites are characterized through tensile testing, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), fractography analysis and electrical conductivity testing
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