Fabrication and Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites with Functionalized Graphene Nanoplatelets

Abstract

Carbon fiber is a material with excellent mechanical, electrical and thermal properties, which is widely used as a composite material made of a polymer matrix. However, this composite material has a weak point of interlaminar delamination due to weak interfacial bond with polymer matrix compared with high strength and elasticity of carbon fiber. In order to solve this problem, it is essential to use reinforcements. Due to excellent mechanical properties, graphene have been expected to have large improvement in physical properties as a reinforcing material. However, the aggregation of graphene and the weak interfacial bonding have resulted in failure to properly implement reinforcement effect. In order to solve this problems, dispersibility will be improved. In this study, functionalization of graphene nanoplatelet was proceeded with melamine and mixed with epoxy polymer matrix. The carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites were fabricated using the prepared graphene nanoplatelet/epoxy and flexural properties and interlaminar shear strength were measured. As a result, it was confirmed that the dispersibility of graphene nanoplatelet was improved and the mechanical properties of the composite material were increased.