Browsing by Author "Costa, J.D.M."
Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Fatigue behaviour of glass fibre reinforced epoxy composites enhanced with nanoparticlesPublication . Borrego, L.P.; Costa, J.D.M.; Ferreira, J.A.M.; Silva, H.Nanoparticle reinforcement of the matrix in laminates has been recently explored to improve mechanical properties, particularly the interlaminar strength. This study analyses the fatigue behaviour of nanoclay and multiwalled carbon nanotubes enhanced glass/epoxy laminates. The matrix used was the epoxy resin Biresin CR120, combined with the hardener CH120-3. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) 98% and organo-montmorillonite Nanomer I30 E nanoclay were used. Composites plates were manufactured by moulding in vacuum. Fatigue tests were performed under constant amplitude, both under tension–tension and three points bending loadings. The fatigue results show that composites with small amounts of nanoparticles addition into the matrix have bending fatigue strength similar to the obtained for the neat glass fibre reinforced epoxy matrix composite. On the contrary, for higher percentages of nanoclays or carbon nanotubes addition the fatigue strength tend to decrease caused by poor nanoparticles dispersion and formation of agglomerates. Tensile fatigue strength is only marginally affected by the addition of small amount of particles. The fatigue ratio in tensio –tension loading increases with the addition of nanoclays and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, suggesting that both nanoparticles can act as barriers to fatigue crack propagation.
- Mixed mode interlaminar fracture of carbon nanotubes enhanced epoxy/glass fiber compositesPublication . Silva, H.; Ferreira, J. A. M.; Costa, J.D.M.; Capela, C.Present paper studied the improvement of the fracture toughness under mixed mode loading obtained by using carbon nanotubes reinforcement in fiber glass mats/epoxy laminates. Mixed-mode bending tests were performed considering different loading ratios GII/GI. Laminates were manufactured using the epoxy resin Biresin® CR120 reinforced with fiber glass triaxial mats ETXT 450 and multiwalled carbon nanotubes with 98% of carbon. It was observed that the total fracture toughness increases linearly with the mode II loading component and that linear mixed-mode fracture criteria reproduces the GI versus GII relationship. The incorporation of small quantity, up to 0.5%, of carbon nanotubes into matrix improves significantly mixed-mode fracture toughness.
- Stress analysis of lap joints involving natural fibre reinforced interface layersPublication . Ferreira, J.A.M.; Silva, H.; Costa, J.D.M.; Richardson, M. O. WThis paper is concerned with a fatigue study of composite adhesive lap joints. The tests were carried out on specimen joints manufactured using different stacking sequences: solely bi-directional woven E-glass fibres and polypropylene composites; and hybrid stacked composites. The main objective of the work was to improve the fatigue strength using hybrid fibre composites with a polypropylene/hemp natural fibre layer adjacent to the bond interface which was expected to produce more uniform stresses in transient regions. The adhesive used was a Bostik 7452 (Rubber and Plastics Grade) ethyl cyanoacrylate type. The results are presented in the form of curves of stress amplitude versus number of cycles to failure. The failure mechanisms (together with peak stresses in the regions adjacent to the bond obtained by finite elements analysis and experimental values of interlaminar toughness) are discussed in order to explain the lower fatigue strength in hybrid stacked joints than in the original thermoplastic composite joints (contrary what was expected) and the decrease with the natural fibre content. q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.