Improvement of Mechanical, Wear, and Thermal Properties of Glass Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Matrix Composites with Hexagonal Boron Nitride (h-BN) Nanofiller Addition
Project no. 32574 · Status: Kapanmış (Yayın bekleniyor) · 2024
Summary
<p class="ql-align-justify">Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites are widely used in structural and functional applications due to their low density, high specific strength, corrosion resistance, and cost effectiveness. However, conventional glass fiber/epoxy composites suffer from limited thermal conductivity and insufficient wear resistance, which restrict their performance in thermally and tribologically demanding environments. In this study, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanoparticles were incorporated into an epoxy matrix to develop multifunctional GFRP laminates with enhanced mechanical, thermal, and wear properties. h-BN was dispersed into the epoxy resin at different weight fractions using ultrasonic mixing, and composite laminates were fabricated via a hybrid hand lay-up and vacuum infusion process. The mechanical performance of the composites was evaluated through tensile, flexural, compressive, and shear tests, while wear behavior was assessed under controlled sliding conditions. Thermal properties were characterized using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The results demonstrate that the incorporation of h-BN leads to notable improvements in thermomechanical stability and wear resistance without compromising the structural integrity of the laminates. An optimal h-BN content was identified, providing a balanced enhancement of mechanical strength, thermal performance, and tribological behavior. This work offers a comprehensive assessment of h-BN reinforced GFRP composites and provides valuable insights into structure–property relationships for the design of multifunctional glass fiber/epoxy systems.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Keywords:</strong> Glass fiber reinforced polymer; Epoxy composites; Hexagonal boron nitride; Wear behavior; Thermal properties; Mechanical performance</p>