Graphene-modified carbon/epoxy nanocomposites: Electrical, thermal and mechanical properties

Abstract

A primary limitation of fiber-reinforced polymer composites in aircraft applications is susceptibility to lightning because of poor electrical, thermal and electromagnetic properties. The current methods to mitigate the lightning strike in aircraft have added weight and reduced the performance. Previous graphene-modified epon 828 epoxy matrix study showed that three-roll dispersion is effective, repeatable and potentially scalable to disperse graphene in to epoxy to increase the electrical conductivity. Percolation threshold of graphene was found to be about 1.0 wt.% that enhanced electrical conductivity of epon 828 epoxy matrix from 4.3 × 10−15 to 2.6 × 10−6 S/m, thermal conductivity doubled and fracture toughness increased by one-third. In the present study, the same graphene/epon 828 is reinforced by carbon fabric by hand lay-up followed by compression molding. The resulting composite laminate was tested for electrical, thermal and mechanical properties and results of this nanocomposite laminates were compared with base composite laminate.