Tensile Properties of UHMWPE/Nanofiber-Epoxy Bundle Composites

摘要

Ultra high molecular polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber reinforced nano-epoxyand pure epoxy composites in bundle form, were prepared for tensile tests. Tensiletests on various types of UHMWPE fibersanofiber-epoxy bundle compositesshowed an increase in modulus of elasticity due to addition of small amount ofreactive nanofibers (r-GNFs) to epoxy matrix. It was observed that modulus ofelasticity of the composite bundles depended on both volume fractions of matrixand weight percent of r-GNFs in the matrix. A nonlinear relationship has beenestablished among them and optimal modulus has been determined by calculation.A three-dimensional surface plot considering these two parameters has beengenerated which gives a perception of change in modulus of elasticity with respectto volume fraction of matrix and wt% of r-GNFs in the matrix. Weibull analysis oftensile strengths for the various bundle composites was performed and their Weibullmoduli were compared. The results showed that presence of r-GNFs in thecomposites increased the strength effectively, and 0.3wt% r-GNFs based compositeshowed the highest strength.