INVESTIGATION ON THE SYNERGETIC EFFECTS OF CARBON NANOTUBE AND GRAPHENE OXIDE ON CARBON FIBER REINFORCED EPOXY PREPREG COMPOSITES

Enhancement of electrical properties of carbon fiber reinforced (CFR) epoxy matrix composites was aimed by incorporating varying amounts (0.5, 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, and 15 wt% -percentage by weight) of carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) into the resin. Besides, within these CNP percentages, carbon nanotube (CNT) to graphene oxide (GO) composition ratio was also changed (100:0, 80:20, 50:50, 20:80, and 0:100) in order to investigate the synergy between these two type of CNPs. Carbon/epoxy composites were produced via prepregging technique, followed by compression molding method. The change in electrical conductivity of the composites was examined in three directions: Fiber direction, transverse direction, and through-thickness direction. Additionally, mechanical property investigation was carried out by determining the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of composites by conducting short beam shear tests (SBS). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses were performed for morphology investigation and element characterization of the CNP surfaces. The results revealed up to 5.8, 217, and 34 fold increases in conductivity values in fiber, transverse, and thickness directions, respectively, when compared to that of the neat composite. Also, approximately twofold ILSS value was reached by CNP addition.