Optimization Mechanism of Mechanical Properties of Basalt Fiber-Epoxy Resin Composites by Interfacially Enriched Distribution of Nano-Starch Crystals

Fibre reinforced polymer composites have become a new generation of structural materials due to their unique advantages such as high specific strength,designability,good dimensional stability and ease of large-area monolithic forming.However,the problem of interfacial bonding between the resin matrix and the fibres limits the direct use of reinforcing fibres and has become a central difficulty in the development of basalt fibre-epoxy composites.This paper proposes a solution for enhancing the strength of the fibre-resin interface using maize starch nanocrystals,which are highly yield and eco-friendly.Firstly,in this paper,corn starch nanocrystals(SNC)were prepared by hydrolysis,and were deposited on the surface of basalt fibers by electrostatic adsorption.After that,in order to maximize the modification effect of nano-starch crystals on the interface,the basalt fiber-epoxy resin composite samples were prepared by mixing in a pressureless molding method.The test results shown that the addition of basalt fibers alone led to a reduction in the strength of the sample.Deposition of 0.1 wt%SNC on the surface of basalt fibers can make the strength consistent with pure epoxy resin.When the adsorption amount of SNC reached 0.5 wt%,the tensile strength of the samples was 23.7%higher than that of pure epoxy resin.This is due to the formation of ether bond homopolymers between the SNC at the fibre-epoxy interface and the epoxy resin,which distorts the originally smooth interface,leading to increased stress concentration and the development of cracks.This enhances the binding of basalt fibers.The conclusions of this paper can provide an effective,simple,low-cost and non-polluting method of interfacial enhancement modification.

Cardo poly (ether sulfone) toughened E51/DETDA epoxy resin and its carbon fiber composites

A toughener that can effectively improve the interlaminar toughness in carbon fiber composites is crucial for various applications.We investigated,the toughening effects of phenolphthalein-based cardo poly(ether sulfone)(PES-C)on E51/DETDA epoxy and its carbon fiber composites(CFCs).Scanning electron microscopy showed that the phase structures of PES-C/epoxy blends change from island(of dispersed phase)structures to bi-continuous structures(of the matrix)as the PES-C content increased,which is associated with reaction-induced phase separation.After adding 15 phr PES-C,the glass transition temperature(T_(g))of the blends increased by 51.5℃,and the flexural strength,impact strength and fracture toughness of the blends were improved by 41.1%,186.2%and 42.7%,respectively.These improvements could be attributed to the phase separation structure of the PES-C/epoxy sys-tem.A PES-C film was used to improve the mode-II fracture toughness(G_(IIC))of CFCs.The G_(IIC) value of the 7μm PES-C film toughened laminate was improved by 80.3%compared to that of the control laminate.The increase in G_(IIC) was attributed to cohesive failure and plastic deformation in the interleaving region.

Durability Testing of Composite Aerospace Materials Based on a New Polymer Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Resin

In this study,the durability of a new polymer carbonfiber-reinforced epoxy resin used to produce composite material in the aerospacefield is investigated through analysis of the corrosion phenomena occurring at the microscopic scale,and the related infrared spectra and thermal properties.It is found that light and heat can con-tribute to the aging process.In particular,the longitudinal tensile strength displays a non-monotonic trend,i.e.,itfirst increases and then decreases over time.By contrast,the longitudinal compressive and inter-laminar shear strengths do not show significant changes.It is also shown that the inter-laminar shear strength of carbonfiber/epoxy resin composites with inter-laminar hybrid structure is better than that of pure carbonfiber materials.The related resistance to corrosion can be improved by more than 41%.

Optical and Mechanical Properties of Ramie Fiber/Epoxy Resin Transparent Composites

The residual resources of ramie fiber-based textile products were used as raw materials.Ramie fiber felt(RF)was modified by NaClO_(2) aqueous solution and then impregnated with water-based epoxy resin(WER).RF/WER transparent composite materials were prepared by lamination hot pressing process.The composite materials’color difference,transmittance,haze,density,water absorption,and mechanical properties were determined to assess the effects of NaClO_(2) treatment and the number of ramie fiber layers on the properties of the prepared composites.The results showed significantly improved optical and mechanical properties of the RF/WER transparent composites after NaClO_(2) treatment.With the increase of ramie fiber layers,the composites’whiteness,transmittance,and water absorption decreased while the haze increased.For material with three layers,the optical transmittance in the visible light region was 82%,and the haze was 96%,indicating the material has both high transmittance and high haze characteristics.The tensile strength increases with the increase of the number of layers,and the tensile strength of the composite with six layers is 243 MPa.This study broadens the scope of application of ramie fiber as a new option for home decoration materials.

Influence of Non-smooth Surface on Tribological Properties of Glass Fiber-epoxy Resin Composite Sliding against Stainless Steel under Natural Seawater Lubrication

With the development of bionics, the bionic non-smooth surfaces are introduced to the field of tribology. Although non-smooth surface has been studied widely, the studies of non-smooth surface under the natural seawater lubrication are still very fewer, especially experimental research. The influences of smooth and non-smooth surface on the frictional properties of the glass fiber-epoxy resin composite（GF/EPR） coupled with stainless steel 316 L are investigated under natural seawater lubrication in this paper. The tested non-smooth surfaces include the surfaces with semi-spherical pits, the conical pits, the cone-cylinder combined pits, the cylindrical pits and through holes. The friction and wear tests are performed using a ring-on-disc test rig under 60 N load and 1000 r/min rotational speed. The tests results show that GF/EPR with bionic non-smooth surface has quite lower friction coefficient and better wear resistance than GF/EPR with smooth surface without pits. The average friction coefficient of GF/EPR with semi-spherical pits is 0.088, which shows the largest reduction is approximately 63.18% of GF/EPR with smooth surface. In addition, the wear debris on the worn surfaces of GF/EPR are observed by a confocal scanning laser microscope. It is shown that the primary wear mechanism is the abrasive wear. The research results provide some design parameters for non-smooth surface, and the experiment results can serve as a beneficial supplement to non-smooth surface study.

Experimental Study on Influence of Dimples on Lubrication Performance of Glass Fiber-epoxy Resin Composite under Natural Seawater Lubrication

Bionic non-smooth surface is widely applied in metal and ceramics materials. In order to introduce this technology to high pressure seawater pump, the influence of bionic non-smooth surface on the engineering plastics used in pump should be investigated. The comparative tests are carried out with a ring-on-disc configuration under 800, 1000, 1200 and 1400 r/min in order to research the influence of the bionic non-smooth surface on glass fiber-epoxy resin composite（GF/EPR） under natural seawater lubrication. The disc surfaces are textured with five kinds of pits, which are semi-spherical, conical, cone-cylinder combined, cylindrical pits and through holes, respectively. A smooth surface is tested as reference. The results show that the lubrication performance of dimpled GF/EPR sample is much better than that of the smooth sample under all rotational speeds. The semi-spherical pits surface has more obvious friction reduction than the others, which shows that the least reduction is approximately 43.29% of smooth surface under 1200 r/rain. However, the wear level is only marginally influenced by dimples. The surface morphology investigations disclose severe modifications caused by abrasive wear primarily. The results are helpful to vary friction properties of GF/EPR by non-smooth surface, or provide references to the design of non-smooth surfaces under certain condition.

Determination of Water Diffusion Coefficients and Dynamics in Adhesive/Carbon Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Resin Composite Joints

To determinate the water diffusion coefficients and dynamics in adhesive/carben fiber reinforced epoxy resin composite joints, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis（EDX） is used to establish the content change of oxy- gen in the adhesive in adhesive/carbon fther reinforced epoxy resin composite joints. As water is made up of oxygen and hydrogen, the water diffusion coefficients and dynamics in adhesive/carben fiber reinforced epoxy resin composite joints can be obtained from the change in the content of oxygen in the adhesive during humidity aging, via EDX analy-sis. The authors have calculated the water diffusion coefficients and dynamics in the adhesive/carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin composite joints with the aid of beth energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The de- termined results with EDX analysis are almost the same as those determined with elemental analysis and the results al- so show that the durability of the adhesive/carbon fther reinforced epoxy resin composite joints subjected to silane cou- pling agent treatment is better than those subjected to sand paper burnishing treatment and chemical oxidation treat- ment.

Research on properties of hollow glass microspheres/epoxy resin composites applied in deep rock in-situ temperature-preserved coring

Deep petroleum resources are in a high-temperature environment.However,the traditional deep rock coring method has no temperature preserved measures and ignores the effect of temperature on rock porosity and permeability,which will lead to the distortion of the petroleum resources reserves assessment.Therefore,the hollow glass microspheres/epoxy resin(HGM/EP)composites were innovatively proposed as temperature preserved materials for in-situ temperature-preserved coring(ITP-Coring),and the physical,mechanical,and temperature preserved properties were evaluated.The results indicated that:As the HGM content increased,the density and mechanical properties of the composites gradually decreased,while the water absorption was deficient without hydrostatic pressure.For composites with 50 vol%HGM,when the hydrostatic pressure reached 60 MPa,the water absorption was above 30.19%,and the physical and mechanical properties of composites were weakened.When the hydrostatic pressure was lower than 40 MPa,the mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of composites were almost unchanged.Therefore,the composites with 50 vol%HGM can be used for ITPCoring operations in deep environments with the highest hydrostatic pressure of 40 MPa.Finally,to further understand the temperature preserved performance of composites in practical applications,the temperature preserved properties were measured.An unsteady-state heat transfer model was established based on the test results,then the theoretical change of the core temperature during the coring process was obtained.The above tests results can provide a research basis for deep rock in-situ temperature preserved corer and support accurate assessment of deep petroleum reserves.

Epoxy Resin/Nano Ni@C Composites Exhibiting NTC Effect with Tunable Resistivity

Epoxy resin/Ni@C nanoparticle composites with aligned microstructure were prepared by using a procedure of magnetic field assisted curing. The results show that the resistivity of composites exhibits negative temperature coefficient （NTC） effect above room temperature, and can be adjusted by varying the content filler and the magnitude of magnetic field applied. Hill＇s quantum tunneling model was modified to understand the electrical conduction mechanism in the composites. It shows that the NTC effect ascribes to the dominant thermal activated tunneling transport of electron across adjacent nanoparticles, as well as the low thermal expansivity of epoxy resin matrix.

A Study on a Magnesium-Based Layered Composite Used as a Flame Retardant for Phenolic Epoxy Resins

The effects of a magnesium-based layered composite on the flammability of a phenolic epoxy resin(EP)are studied.In order to produce the required composite material,first,magnesium hydroxide,aluminum salt and deionized water are mixed into a reactor according to a certain proportion to induce a hydrothermal reaction;then,the feed liquid is filtered out using a solid-liquid separation procedure;finally,the material is dried and crushed.In order to evaluate its effects on the flammability of the EP,first,m-phenylenediamine is added to EP and vacuum defoamation is performed;then,EP is poured into a polytetrafluoroethylene mold,cooled to room temperature and demoulded;finally,the magnesium-based layered composite is added to EP,and its flame retardance is characterized by thermogravimetric analysis,limiting oxygen index and cone calorimetry.The X-ray diffraction patterns show that the baseline of magnesium-based layered composite is stable and the front shape is sharp and symmetrical when the molar ratio of magnesium to aluminium is 3.2:1;with the addition of magnesium-based layered composite,the initial pyrolysis temperature of EP of 10%,15%and 30%magnesium-based layered composite decreases to 318.2°C,317.9°C and 357.1°C,respectively.After the reaction,the amount of residual carbon increases to 0.1%,3.45%and 8.3%,and the limiting oxygen index increases by 28.3%,29.1%and 29.6%,respectively.The maximum heat release rate of cone calorimeter decreases gradually.The optimum molar ratio of Mg:Al for green synthesis is 3.2:1,and the NO_(3)-intercalated magnesium-based layered composite has the best flame retardance properties.

Influence of Mixing Conditions on Morphologies and Properties of MMT/Epoxy Resin Composite Materials

Montmorillonite（MMT） was directly modified with hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide. The interlayer spacing of the organophilic montmorillonite（organo-MMT） corresponding to the d（001） plane peak was 2.21 nm The influences of the content of organo-MMT and mixing conditions including mixing temperature and mixing time on the intercalation and exfoliation structures of MMT/epoxy resin composites were investigated by wide X-ray diffraction（WXRD）. The X-ray patterns reveal that organo-MMT was intercalated by the epoxy resin during mixing process. Only under certain mixing conditions, could the exfoliation nanocomposites be formed. The mechanical and thermal properties of the composites were measured. The results indicate that the composites have better mechanical properties and higher Tg than those of the pristine epoxy resin.

Synthesis, Characterization and Flame-retardant Properties of Epoxy Resins and AACHH Composites

Flame retardant epoxy resins were prepared by a simple mixed method using ammonium aluminum carbonate hydroxy hydrate （AACHH） as a halogen-free flame retardant. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscope and limiting oxygen index（LOI） experiments. Effects of AACHH content on LOI of epoxy resins/AACHH composite and flame retardant mechanism were investigated and discussed. Results show that AACHH exhibites excellent flame-retardant properties in epoxy resin（EP）. When the content of AACHH was 47.4%, the LOI of EP reached 32.2%. Moreover, the initial and terminal decomposition temperature of EP increased by 48 ℃ and 40 ℃, respectively. The flame retarded mechanism of AACHH is due to the synergic flame retardant effects of diluting, cooling, decomposition resisting and obstructing.

Phosphorylated Salicylic Acid as Flame Retardant in Epoxy Resins and Composites

A novel,versatile flame retardant substructure based on phosphorylated salicylic acid(SCP)is described and used in the synthesis of new flame retardants for HexFlow
RTM6,a high-performance epoxy resin used in resin transfer molding processes as composite matrix.The starting material salicylic acid can be obtained from natural sources.SCP as reactive phosphorus chloride is converted with a novolak,a novolak containing 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phospha-phenanthrene-10-oxide(DOPO)substituents or DOPO-hydroquinone to flame retardants with sufficient thermal stability and high char yield.Additionally,these flame retardants are soluble in the resin as well as react into the epoxy network.The determined thermal stability and glass transition temperatures of flame retarded neat resin samples as well as the interlaminar shear strength of corresponding carbon fiber reinforced composite materials showed the applicability of these flame retardants.Neat resin samples and composites were tested for their flammability by UL94 and/or flame-retardant performance by cone calorimetry.All tested flame retardants decrease the peak of heat release rate by up to 54%for neat resin samples.A combination of DOPO and SCP in one flame retardant shows synergistic effects in char formation and the mode of action adapts to neat resin or fiber-reinforced samples,so there is efficient flame retardancy in both cases.Therefore,a tailoring of SCP based flame retardants is possible.Additionally,these flame retardants efficiently reduce fiber degradation during combustion of carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy resins as observed by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

Kinetic Study of Resin-Curing on Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Resin Composites by Microwave Irradiation

Microwave processing has great potential for improving composite manufacturing such as reduction of curing time, energy requirements and operational costs. In this paper, the effects of microwave irradiation for resin-curing of carbon fiber/epoxy resin composite that was composed of discontinuous carbon fibers of 130 μm or 3 mm were investigated. The mechanical properties of carbon fiber/epoxy resin composite cured by microwave irradiation for 20 min at 120°C were similar to ones of the sample prepared by conventional oven for 180 min at 120°C. Microwavecured carbon fiber/epoxy resin composite had higher glass transition temperature than the one prepared by conventional oven. The relation between curing time and flexural modulus indicated that the curing velocity of microwave-irradiated carbon fiber/epoxy resin composite was 9 times faster than the one prepared by conventional oven. Furthermore, activation energies for resincuring reaction on microwave and conventional-cured carbon fiber/epoxy resin composite were estimated. The resin-curing reaction in carbon fiber/epoxy resin composite was promoted by microwave irradiation.

Formulating Novel Halogen-Free Synergistic Flame Retardant Epoxy Resins for Vacuum Assisted Resin Infusion Composites

The most common process to manufacture advanced composites is the costly autoclave.One of the out-of-autoclave alternatives is the low-cost vacuum assisted resin infusion(VARI)which produces quality parts with less pollution.Epoxy resin is a widely used composite matrix resin,but its high flammability limits its use as interior composite parts for vehicles.The usual flame retardant for epoxy involves halogen,which is effective but has high smoke toxicity.As a result,halogen-free flame retardant epoxy resin systems become dominant.In this paper,phosphorus flame retardant was combined with benzoxazine(BOZ)to produce synergistic effect and achieve satisfactory flame retardance,as well as mechanical improvement for the epoxy resin.Differential scanning calorimetry(DSC),dynamic mechanical analysis(DMA),thermal gravitational analysis(TGA),the cone calorimeter(CC),and limiting oxygen index(LOI)were used to characterize the resins.The results showed significant improvement on the flame retardance of the synergistically modified resins.Specifically,the carbon residue increased by 113.6%,and the char thickness increased by 6 to 7 times,compared to those of the flammable benchmark resin.The LOI reached 33 and passed the UL94 V-0 vertical burn rating.The modified resins also exhibited adequate stability and viscosity suitable for VARI processes.

Effect of Epoxy Resin on the Properties of Recycled Asphalt

To promote the recycling of reclaimed asphalt pavement(RAP),epoxy resin was used to prepare the epoxy-recycled asphalt mixtures.The effect of epoxy resin on the properties of aged asphalt binder was investigated based on the tensile test,flexural creep test,and laser scanning confocal microscopy.The curing characteristics and the mechanical performance of recycled asphalt with different epoxy contents were explored.The results show that the low-temperature performance,ductility,and strength of the aged asphalt binder were significantly improved when the epoxy content reached 40%.The curing time of epoxy-recycled asphalt should be at least 4 d to ensure the formation of good internal spatial network structure.

Enhanced corrosion resistance of epoxy resin coating via addition of CeO_(2) and benzotriazole

The use of fillers to enhance the corrosion protection of epoxy resins has been widely applied.In this work,cerium dioxide(CeO_(2))and benzotriazole(BTA)were introduced into an epoxy resin to enhance the corrosion resistance of Q235 carbon steel.Scanning electron microscopy results indicated that the CeO_(2) grains were rod-like and ellipsoidal in shape,and the distribution pattern of BTA was analyzed by energy dispersive spectroscope.The dynamic potential polarization curve proved the excellent corrosion resistance of the composite epoxy resin with CeO_(2) and BTA co-addition,and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy test analysis indicated the significantly enhanced long-term corrosion protection performance of the composite coating.And the optimal protective performance was provided by the coating containing 0.3%(mass)CeO_(2) and 20%(mass)BTA,which was attributed to the barrier performance of CeO_(2) particles and the chemical barrier effect of BTA.The formation of corrosion products was analyzed using X-ray diffraction.In addition,the corrosion resistance mechanism of the coating was also discussed in detail.

Evaluation of the injection and plugging ability of a novel epoxy resin in cement cracks

Sustained casing pressure(SCP)is a crucial issue in the oil and gas production lifecycle.Epoxy resins,exhibiting exceptional compressive strength,ductility,and shear bonding strength,have the potential to form reliable barriers.The injectivity and sealing capacity of the epoxy resin is crucial parameters for the success of shallow remediation operations.This study aimed to develop and assess a novel solid-free resin sealant as an alternative to Portland cement for mitigating fluid leakage.The investigation evaluated the viscosity,compressive strength,and brittleness index of the epoxy resin sealant,as well as its tangential and normal shear strengths in conjunction with casing steel.The flow characteristics and sealing abilities of conventional cement and epoxy resin were comparatively analyzed in cracks.The results showed that the application of a viscosity reducer facilitated control over the curing time of the epoxy resin,ranging from 1.5 to 6 h,and reduced the initial viscosity from 865.53 to 118.71 m Pa,s.The mechanical properties of the epoxy resin initially increased with a rise in curing agent content before experiencing a minor decrease.The epoxy resin containing 30%curing agent exhibited optimal mechanical properties.After a 14-day curing period,the epoxy resin's compressive strength reached81.37 MPa,2.12 times higher than that of cement,whereas the elastic modulus of cement was 2.99 times greater than that of the epoxy resin.The brittleness index of epoxy resin is only 3.42,demonstrating high flexibility and toughness.The tangential and normal shear strengths of the epoxy resin exceeded those of cement by 3.17 and 2.82 times,respectively.In a 0.5 mm-wide crack,the injection pressure of the epoxy resin remained below 0.075 MPa,indicating superior injection and flow capabilities.Conversely,the injection pressure of cement surged dramatically to 2.61 MPa within 5 min.The breakthrough pressure of0.5 PV epoxy resin reached 7.53 MPa,decreasing the crack's permeability to 0.02 D,a mere 9.49%of the permeability observed following cement plugging.Upon sealing a 2 mm-wide crack using epoxy resin,the maximum breakthrough pressure attained 5.47 MPa,3.48 times of cement.These results suggest that epoxy resin sealant can be employed safely and effectively to seal cracks in the cement.

Effect of Accelerated Aging Temperature under Artificial Seawater on the Properties of Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Composites and the Erosion Mechanism

In order to explore the effect of artificial accelerated aging temperature on the performance of carbon fiber/epoxy resin composites,we used artificial seawater as the aging medium,designed the aging environment of seawater at different temperatures under normal pressure,and studied the aging behavior of carbon fiber/epoxy composites.The infrared spectroscopy results show that,with the increase of aging temperature,the degree of hydrolysis of the composite is greater.At the same time,after 250 days of aging of artificial seawater at regular temperature,40 and 60 ℃,the moisture absorption rates of composite materials were 0.45%,0.63%,and 1.05%,and the retention rates of interlaminar shear strength were 91%,78%,and 62%,respectively.It is shown that the temperature of the aging environment has a significant impact on the hygroscopic behavior and mechanical properties of the composite,that is,the higher the temperature,the faster the moisture absorption of the composite,and the faster the decay of the mechanical properties of the composite.

Numerical Optimization by Finite Element Method of Stainless Steel/Glass-Epoxy Composite Bolted Joint under Tension and Compression

The aim of this study was to optimize the geometry and the design of metallic/composite single bolted joints subjected to tension-compression loading. For this purpose, it was necessary to evaluate the stress state in each component of the bolted join. The multi-material assembly was based on the principle of double lap bolted joint. It was composed of a symmetrical balanced woven glass-epoxy composite material plate fastened to two stainless sheets using a stainless pre-stressed bolt. In order to optimize the design and the geometry of the assembly, ten configurations were proposed and studied: a classical simple bolted joint, two joints with an insert (a BigHeadR insert and a stair one) embedded in the composite, two “waved” solutions, three symmetrical configurations composed of a succession of metallic and composites layers, without a sleeve, with one and with two sleeves, and two non-symmetrical constituted of metallic and composites layers associated with a stair-insert (one with a sleeve and one without). A tridimensional Finite Element Method (FEM) was used to model each configuration mentioned above. The FE models taked into account the different materials, the effects of contact between the different sheets of the assembly and the pre-stress in the bolt. The stress state was analyzed in the composite part. The concept of stress concentration factor was used in order to evaluate the stress increase in the highly stressed regions and to compare the ten configurations studied. For this purpose, three stress concentration factors were defined: one for a monotonic loading in tension, another for a monotonic loading in compression, and the third for a tension-compression cyclic loading. The results of the FEM computations showed that the use of alternative metallic and composite layers associated with two sleeves gived low values of stress concentration factors, smaller than 1.4. In this case, there was no contact between the bolt and the composite part and the most stressed region was not the vicinity of the hole but the end of the longest layers of the metallic inserts.