Erosive Wear Behavior of Fiberglass-Reinforced Epoxy Laminate Composites Modified with SiO2 Nanoparticles Fabricated by Resin Infusion

Abstract

This work presents a study on the evaluation of the erosive wear behavior of laminated composites, manufactured using the vacuum-assisted resin infusion (VARI) method with a glass fiber-reinforced epoxy matrix modified with SiO2 nanoparticles (0.0, 1.5, and 3.0 wt.%). Results indicate that nanoparticle concentration and dispersion state critically influence the mechanical and tribological performance. The composite FG-1.5-SiO2 with 1.5 wt.% SiO2 exhibited optimal nanoparticle distribution, as confirmed by FTIR, GIXRD, and SEM analyses, with the lowest surface roughness (Ra = 0.215 μm), highest hardness (35.58 HV), and highest elastic modulus (19.66 GPa). These enhancements contributed to a 38% improvement in erosion rate compared to the unmodified laminated composite, with the lowest total mass loss (0.0261 mg) and erosion rate (2.3360 × 10−5 mg/g). Profilometry and SEM results revealed shallower wear depths and reduced matrix removal, indicating stronger fiber–matrix interface integrity. In contrast, the 3.0 wt.% SiO2 composite (FG-3-SiO2) suffered from nanoparticle agglomeration, which increased surface roughness, diminished mechanical properties, and reduced erosion resistance to levels comparable to the unreinforced material. The results indicate that homogeneous dispersion at an optimal concentration (1.5 wt.%) is crucial for improving erosion resistance, while agglomeration at higher concentrations negates the potential benefits of nanoparticle incorporation. These findings highlight the need to optimize nanoparticle dispersion for the development of fiberglass/epoxy composites with greater durability and erosion resistance in demanding applications.