Experimental investigation of nanoclay and nanosilica particles effects on mechanical properties of glass epoxy composites

In this paper, the tensile properties of 2D woven glass epoxy composite reinforced by two different nanoparticles have been investigated and compared. Hand lay-up method has been used to manufacture nanocomposites with 12 layers of 2D woven glass fibers with 40% fiber volume fraction. The nano-epoxy resin system is made of epon 828 resin with jeffamine D400 as the curing agent. The composites were reinforced by adding organically modified montmorillonite nanoclay (Closite 30B) and nanosilica (SiO2) particles. The nanoclay particles were dispersed into the epoxy system in a 0%, 3%, 5%, 7% and 10% ratio in weight with respect to the matrix, while the spherical nanosilica particles were dispersed into the epoxy system in a 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 3% ratio in weight with respect to the matrix. The results show that low loading of nanoclay decreases the mechanical properties of nanocomposite, while significant improvements of nanocomposite mechanical properties are shown in low loading of nanosilica. Tensile strength and toughness of nanocomposite increase by 7% and 10% after adding 5 wt.% nanoclay. Loading of 0.5 wt.% nanosilica cause 10% and 27% improvement in tensile strength and toughness of nanocomposite.