Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Graphene Nanoplates and Functionalized Carbon-Nanotubes Hybrid Epoxy Nanocomposites

The effect of dispersion of carbon nanofillers on mechanical properties, wettabiliy and thermal stability of epoxy nanocomposites prepared by direct mixing method were studied. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) was used to study dispersion of carbon nanofiller in epoxy matrix. The tensile properties of the prepared Epoxy/GNPs nanocomposites by direct mixing method using (0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 wt %) GNPs showed significant improvement (ca. 59% and 62%) in the ultimate tensile strength and Young's modulus of nanocomposites respectively at a loading of 0.5 wt % GNPs. At loading higher than 0.5%, the mechanical properties start to decrease but still higher than that of neat epoxy due to agglomeration of GNPs. The Epoxy/ GNPs-FMWNTs nanocomposites was prepared using 0.5 wt % GNPs:FMWNTs nanofiller with different GNPs:CNTs mixing ratio (1:9, 2.5:7.5, 5:5, 7.5:2.5, and 9:1). The best improvements in mechanical properties was found at two mixing ratios of GNPs: FMWNTs (5:5) and (9:1). Water absorption of neat epoxy was 0.56% and decreases to 0.48% by adding 1 wt % of GNPs, and decrease to 0.49% by adding 0.5 wt. % FMWNTs. The contact angle of neat epoxy was 43.5°. The hydrophilic of epoxy resin decreases by adding 1 wt % GNPs where contact angle is 67.5°.