Study the mechanical properties of epoxy resin reinforced with silica (quartz)‎ and alumina particles

Abstract EN

In this work the mechanical properties of polymer composites reinforced with ceramic particulates are investigated.

The epoxy resin used as a Matrix material is Ep-10 and the reinforcement particulate materials are silica with particle size (53-63)μm and alumina with particle size (106-150)μm ,and having weight fraction of 20%, 30% and 40% respectively.

Specimens of the matrix material and the six types of composite materials were subjected to tensile, compression, bending, impact and hardness tests.

Experimental tests results indicate that the composite materials have significantly higher modulus of elasticity than the matrix material.

It was found that the enhancement in modulus of elasticity is directly proportional to the weight fraction of reinforcement material and that alumina composites have higher modulus of elasticity than silica composites with equivalent weight fraction .The highest modulus of elasticity is that of the composite with 40 % alumina, which is 182% higher than that of the matrix material.

The tensile and bending strength of the matrix material were found to be significantly higher than those of the composite material while composites with 30% and 40% weight fraction reinforcement martial have marginally higher compressive strength than the matrix material.

Test results also indicate that material toughness, fracture toughness and hardness of the composite materials are significantly higher than those of the matrix material.

The enhancements in these properties are found to be directly proportional to the weight fraction of reinforcement materials.

These properties of composites reinforced with alumina are significantly higher than that of composites reinforced with equitant silica(quartz) content.

The highest material toughness, fracture toughness and hardness are that of the composite with 40 %alumina.