Role of Surface Functionalized Crystalline Nano-silica on Mechanical, Fatigue and Drop Load Impact Damage Behaviour of Effective Stacking Sequenced E-glass Fibre-reinforced Epoxy Resin Composite

Abstract

This present investigation deals the role of surface functionalized crystalline nano-silica addition into epoxy resin on fatigue, fracture toughness and drop load impact damage behaviour with various stacking sequence of E-glass fibre. The main objective of this current investigation was revealing the importance of surface-functionalized crystalline nano-silica particle in E-glass fibre reinforced epoxy composite. Crystalline nano-silica of 20nm and E-glass fibre of 600 GSM was used as reinforcements. Both the particles and fibre was surface-functionalized using 3-Aminopropyletrimethoxyle (APTMS) via wet solution method. The hybrid composites were prepared via hand layup technique with different fibre stacking sequence. The mechanical results revealed that fibre pattern of L-A-L with 1.0vol.% of nano-silica gave highest tensile and flexural strength. The fatigue results revealed that the addition of 0.5 vol.% crystalline nano-silica into glass-epoxy composite (ES1) gives highest fatigue life cycle of 38544 in 50% of tensile stress. Similarly, the fracture toughness results revealed that a highest fracture toughness of 31.5 MPa was observed for composite designation ES2. The composite, which contains 1.0vol.% of surface functionalized crystalline nano-silica with L-A-L fibre pattern gives very high drop load impact resistance. Thus for high strength structural applications, automobile, aircraft and sports related applications these composites could be more suitable and replaced.