Hybridization effect of fibers reinforcement on tensile properties of epoxy composites

Oxidized Polyacrylonitrile fibers (OPF) are made by thermal stabilization of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers and are used as precursors materials for production of carbon fibers. In this paper, effect of adding these fibers on tensile properties of polymer matrix composites was studied. So thirteen kind weights of epoxy matrix composite reinforced with one of the carbon, Kevlar and glass fabrics including OPF by hand lay up method as four layers with different layering were made. For making of composites epoxy Bisphenol F resin and polyamine hardener were used and the resin to fiber fraction was selected as 60 percent. Then tensile properties and failure cross section of them were studied. Results showed that by increasing OPF to carbon, Kevlar and glass fabric ratio; the tensile and modulus strength decreased but in more than 50 weight percent ratios failure strain increased. Study of the fail cross section showed that composites made with one of the carbon, Kevlar, glass fabrics including OPF have lateral, explosive and edge delamination failure modes respectively and with increasing the OPF to carbon, Kevlar and glass fabric transverse failure mode happens.