A Comparative Study of the Effect of MWCNT and Al2O3 Nanoparticles on the Epoxy/Carbon Fiber Composite Space Structure

The fabrication of epoxy-based nanocomposite with either Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT) or Alumina nanoparticles (ALNP) as additives were managed. To ensure a decent dispersion of additives in the epoxy resin, a magnetic stirrer and a high-energy sonicator were operated with temperature control. Different additives fractions of 0.5 wt.% and 1 wt.% were used for MWCNTs and ALNP, respectively. The nanocomposites were tested by a Universal Testing System (UTS) to determine the mechanical properties of nanocomposites before and after exposure to the Inductive Core Transformer (ICT) electron beam accelerator. The results obtained were compared with the deviation of their constituents’ molecular structure acquired by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Keithley 2635A electrical resistivity. The results revealed an enrichment in the mechanical properties of the epoxy matrix after the addition of additives and more performance improvement occurred after irradiation.