DURABILITY OF E-GLASS FIBER REINFORCED VINYL ESTER POLYMER COMPOSITES WITH NANOCLAY IN AN ALKALINE ENVIRONMENT

摘要

Two kinds of GFRP (glass fiber reinforced polymer) composite samples were used: the first with 2 layers of E-glass fiber fabric in a matrix of vinyl ester resin; and the second with addition of lwt% and 2wt% nanoclay to the polymer matrix. The samples underwent aging tests with a sustained load of 890N (12.5% of tensile strength) for 3 months and the reduction in tensile strength was determined. A study was conducted to monitor the weight change of the GFRP specimens immersed in the alkaline solution under no sustained load. Another study was conducted to monitor the weight loss of glass fiber fabric immersed in the alkaline solution, also under no sustained load. Similar tests were conducted with neat resin samples and resin samples with lwt% and 2wt% nanoclay. The results of the sustained load tests show a 12-17% reduction in the tensile strength of the composite samples. However, no particular distinction was observed between the two types of GFRPs. It has been found from the absorption tests conducted on GFRP samples that the rate of alkaline solution absorption is higher in the GFRP samples without nanoclay followed by samples containing 1 % and 2% nanoclay in that order. It has also been found that the dissolution rate of the glass fiber piece is linear. Tests conducted on the resin samples have shown that the weight gain was the highest in samples with 2% nanoclay followed by samples with 1 % nanoclay and then by plain polymer samples.