Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1467227 | Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing | 2009 | 9 Pages |
A study has been made of a concept of ‘healing’ coatings applied onto the brittle fibre surface to reduce the stress concentrations and thus to improve the reinforcing efficiency in a composite. Coatings made from neat epoxy and carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced epoxy nanocomposite were applied onto the individual glass fibres as well as rovings. It is shown that the 0.3 wt.% CNT–epoxy nanocomposite coating gave rise to a significant increase in tensile strength of the single fibre for all gauge lengths, better than the neat epoxy coating. The results on glass fibre roving also indicated a clear beneficial effect of nanocomposite impregnation on tensile strength. The rovings impregnated with the CNT nanocomposite exhibited a more uniform strength distribution and higher strengths than those impregnated with the neat epoxy. The changes in prevailing failure mechanisms influenced by the epoxy and nanocomposite coatings have been identified.