Abstract
Urethane-acrylate thermoset resins (UATR) are a new type of polymeric matrix that have recently made a strong breakthrough in the composites sector. This is because of their properties, which make them an advantageous alternative to epoxy resins, especially if they are reinforced with high-performance fibers such as aramids. Graphene-based nanocomposites are one of the most dynamic research fields in nanotechnology, because graphenic materials greatly improve the properties of traditional composites. This work represents a comparative study of the effect of adding three types of graphenic materials on the mechanical properties of UATR/aramid composites. Several UATR polymeric matrices were doped at 2% w/w with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and pristine few-layer graphene (FLG), and reinforced with Twaron CT709 para-aramid fibers. The obtained laminates showed low density (1.38 g·cm−3), a high volumetric fiber–resin ratio (80:20), homogeneous dispersion of the nanoreinforcement, high reproducibility, and easy scalability. The tensile, flexural and impact strength properties of the undoped composite and the graphene-doped nanocomposites were determined. FLG-doped nanocomposites showed the highest increase in all the mentioned mechanical properties and attained a very significant relative improvement over the undoped laminate (up to 134.4% in aCU).
Highlights
Composites are a very important family of materials used in a wide variety of high-performance structural applications due to their excellent mechanical properties, low density, and resistance to environmental conditions and chemical agents [1]
This paper presents initial results concerning the manufacture of novel nanocomposites based with a urethane-acrylate thermoset resins (UATR) matrix doped with three different types of graphenic nanomaterials and reinforced on graphene-doped UATR/aramid, and their most relevant mechanical properties
The ability of three different types of graphenic materials (GNPs, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and few-layer graphene (FLG)) to improve the tensile, flexural and Charpy impact mechanical properties of a composite, formed by a thermoset urethane-acrylate polymer matrix reinforced with para-aramids has been studied
Summary
Composites are a very important family of materials used in a wide variety of high-performance structural applications due to their excellent mechanical properties, low density, and resistance to environmental conditions and chemical agents [1]. Carbon fiber/epoxy composites are the most widely used in these sectors because they are very light and can effectively withstand isostatic stresses, to the point that they are replacing their metal counterparts in many cases. They have drawbacks, such as their low capacity to absorb the energy of an impact, the need for complex curing and post-curing processes, and the high environmental impact of the epoxy thermoset resins [2]. By combining a UATR matrix with high-performance reinforcement fibers, such as para-aramids (poly-4-phenyleneterephthalamide), it is possible to achieve light composite materials with excellent mechanical properties for structural applications, while maintaining good fracture toughness
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