An investigation into the tensile and impact strength of hybrid nanocomposites reinforced with graphene, kenaf fiber, and basalt fiber

ABSTRACT

In this study, the tensile and impact strength of nanocomposites reinforced with graphene nanosheets, basalt, and kenaf fibers were examined by response surface methodology (RSM). RSM with Box-Behnken design (BBD) was adopted as the study design. The polypropylene (PP) was melted and the reinforcements, including graphene nanosheets (at 0, 0.75, and 1.5 wt %), basalt fiber (at 0, 7.5 and 15 wt %), and kenaf fiber (at 0, 7.5, and 15 wt %) were incorporated to the matrix using mixing technique. The length of the fibers was similar for all the samples (5 mm). Tensile and impact tests were run for all samples to determine the weight of each reinforcing filler for gaining the maximum tensile and impact strength. The best tensile strength (34.434 MPa) was attained with a graphene nanosheet of 0.742 wt%, basalt fiber of 15 wt%, and kenaf fiber of 15 wt%. fabrication of composite having optimum levels of each variable yielded products with a 52% higher tensile strength than pristine PP. The best value obtained by impact tests was 129.9 J/m, which was achieved by graphene nanosheet of 0.984 wt%, basalt fiber of 15 wt%, and kenaf fiber of 15 wt%. The best weight combinations of these variables improved the impact strength by 80%. The SEM was also used to monitor the dispersal pattern of each of the reinforcing fillers in the matrix. FTIR characterization was used to analyze the change in the chemical structure of the composite, and results showed that the formation of new bonds between polymer chains and additives enhanced the mechanical strength of the composite

摘要

本研究采用响应面法 (RSM) 研究了石墨烯纳米片、玄武岩和红麻纤维增强纳米复合材料的拉伸和冲击强度. 采用Box-Behnken设计 (BBD) 的RSM作为研究设计. 将聚丙烯 (PP) 熔融, 并使用混合技术将增强材料, 包括石墨烯纳米片 (0、0.75和1.5 wt%) 、玄武岩纤维 (0、7.5和15 wt%) 和红麻纤维 (0、7.5和15 wt%) 加入到基体中. 所有样品的纤维长度相似 (5mm) . 对所有样品进行拉伸和冲击试验, 以确定每个增强填料的重量, 以获得最大拉伸和冲击强度. 石墨烯纳米片质量分数为0.742%、玄武岩纤维质量分数为15%、红麻纤维质量分数为15%时, 拉伸强度最高 (34.434 Mpa) . 制造具有各变量最佳水平的复合材料, 可获得比原始PP高52%的拉伸强度的产品. 冲击试验获得的最佳值为129. 9 J/m, 由0.984 wt%的石墨烯纳米片、15 wt%的玄武岩纤维和15 wt%的红麻纤维制成. 这些变量的最佳重量组合将冲击强度提高了80%. SEM还用于监测基质中每种增强填料的分散模式. FTIR表征分析了复合材料化学结构的变化, 结果表明, 聚合物链与添加剂之间形成新的键, 提高了复合材料的力学强度.

KEYWORDS:

• Mechanical properties
• response surface methodology (RSM)
• FE-SEM
• graphene
• nanocomposites
• optimization

关键词:

• 机械性能
• 响应面法
• 、
• 石墨烯、
• 纳米复合材料、优化

Highlights

• Mechanical properties of nanocomposites reinforced with graphene nanosheets, basalt, and kenaf fibers were investigated by response surface methodology (RSM).

• Applying optimum levels of graphene nanosheets, basalt fiber, and kenaf fiber for fabricating polypropylene nanocomposites significantly improved the mechanical properties of the product.

• Adding a suitable level of graphene enhanced the impact and the tensile strengths, but further addition decreased them.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

The authors have no funding to report.