Influence of seawater absorption on retention of mechanical properties of nano-TiO2 embedded glass fiber reinforced epoxy polymer matrix composites

Nano-fillers are embedded with epoxy polymer matrix of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites to enhance the mechanical properties. In the present investigation, the nano-TiO2 particles of different concentrations was mixed with the epoxy polymer matrix to improve the mechanical properties. GFRP nano-composites fabricated by hand lay-up method and subsequently immersed in a seawater bath at 70 °C for 40 days. The seawater diffusivity, flexural, and interlaminar shear strength of the composites were evaluated and compared between themselves. The result revealed that with the addition of 0.1 wt.% of the nano-TiO2 particles into the epoxy polymer matrix, seawater diffusivity improved by 15%. However, flexural and interlaminar shear strength of seawater aged nanocomposites is increased by 15% and 23% respectively. The fractured surface of the broken samples has been analyzed through field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) to establish the structure-property co-relationship.