Enhanced mechanical properties of glass fibre-reinforced polymer composites with addition of AL₂O₃

ABSTRACT

This paper depicts the mechanical behaviour of new class of multi-phase composites consisting of glass fibre-reinforced polyester composite filled with Al₂O₃ particles, Glass fibre-reinforced polyester composites was prepared by incorporating alumina particle at three different filler contents viz. 1 3 and 6%, and the mechanical properties of these composites are evaluated. The mechanical properties such as impact energy and hardness of the glass fibre-reinforced polyester composite was improved by adding alumina particles but increasing the percentage of filler content could be seen that there was reduction of impact energy, but increasing of hardness value. The macroscopic fracture surfaces of tensile specimens of all types of composites are studied briefly, However, the tensile strength and modulus of the Al₂O₃-filled glass fibre polyester composite was slightly lower than that of bare glass fibre-reinforced polyester composite, because of the tensile properties are more sensitive for how particles presented as network in the matrix.

KEYWORDS:

• Particulate-reinforced polyester composites
• mechanical properties
• hybrid composite material
• Al₂O₃

Acknowledgments

The present authors would like to thank Omega Inspection and Analytical Laboratory, Coimbatore, India, for providing consultancy service to perform mechanical testing and we also like to thank Dr. T.S. Senthil, Professor, Erode Senguthar Engineering College, for providing microbalance and ultrasonic disperser facility.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.