Development of Hybrid Composites with Improved Mechanical and Self-healing Properties

Abstract

Self-repair materials or self-healing composites had made a prominent role in present scenario, which can heal the damages occurred by accidents inside and outside body by itself without any external efforts. In the present study hybrid matrix, trimethoxy propyl silane (TMPS) treated carbon fibers and vascular tube reinforced hybrid matrix self-healing composites are fabricated by VARTM technique. Tensile, flexural and low velocity impact properties of the composites were tested. Self-healing effect is compared through low velocity impact test by comparing the strength before damage and after healing. Three types of healing agents i.e., vinyl ester, epoxy and hybrid resin were used in vascular tubes. Hybrid resin filled vascular tubes inserted composites are proved to be the best with 98.03 % healing efficiency. Characterization with C-Scan is done to know damage effect inside the composite. The tensile and flexural strengths of composites with vascular tubes are 249.94 and 184.91 MPa respectively. The overall results concluded that the manufactured self-healing composites have both mechanical strength and self-healing performance. Thus this approach provides a novel path to researchers for the development of self-healing composites in an economical way.