INFLUENCE OF IPNS (VINYLESTER/EPOXY/POLYURETHANE) ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF GLASS/CARBON FIBER REINFORCED HYBRID COMPOSITES

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to compare the interpenetrating polymer networks’ (IPNs) physical strengths with different variants of fibers. In this study, E-glass, carbon, and a combination of E-glass and carbon fiber (hybrid) have been taken as the reinforcement. Similarly, three combinations of the IPNs were chosen as the matrix material, namely epoxy / polyurethane (EP), vinyl ester / polyurethane (VP) and epoxy/vinyl ester (EV) as IPN blends. In order to thoroughly understand the physical characteristics of the combination of blends and fibers, nine variants (laminates) were fabricated: combinations of epoxy / polyurethane / E-glass (EPG), epoxy / polyurethane / carbon (EPC), epoxy / vinyl ester / glass / carbon (EPGC-hybrid), vinyl ester / polyurethane / glass (VPG), vinyl ester / polyurethane / carbon (VPC), vinyl ester / polyurethane / glass / carbon (VPGC), epoxy / vinyl ester / glass (EVG), epoxy / vinyl ester / carbon (EVC), and epoxy / vinyl ester / glass / carbon (EVGC-hybrid), all with help of a hand-layup technique. Furthermore, mechanical tests such as tensile, flexural, impact, and HDT (heat distortion temperature) were performed on all the variants as per the ASTM standards. Results shows that carbon fiber reinforcement with all IPN combinations has shown extraordinary performance (double fold) over the E-glass fiber reinforcement, whereas the hybrid (combination of E-glass/carbon) laminates have shown excellent characteristics over E-glass fiber reinforcement, irrespective of IPN matrix material. All the results were compared with each other and their corresponding variations were plotted as bar charts. ABSTRAK:  Objektif utama kajian ini adalah bagi membandingkan kekuatan fizikal rangkaian polimer saling menusuk (IPN) dengan pelbagai jenis gentian berbeza. Kajian ini mengguna pakai gentian kaca-E, karbon dan gabungan kaca-E dan gentian karbon (hibrid) sebagai penguat. Begitu juga, tiga kombinasi IPN dipilih sebagai bahan matrik, iaitu epoksi / poliuretan (EP), ester vinil / poliuretan (VP) dan epoksi / ester vinil (EV) sebagai campuran IPN. Bagi tujuan memahami secara mendalam ciri-ciri fizikal gabungan campuran dan gentian, sembilan varian (lamina) dihasilkan, malaui kombinasi seperti epoksi / poliuretan / kaca-E (EPG), epoksi / poliuretan / karbon (EPC), epoksi / ester vinil / kaca / karbon (EPGC-hibrid), ester vinil / poliuretan / kaca (VPG), ester vinil / poliuretan / karbon (VPC), ester vinil / poliuretan / kaca / karbon (VPGC), epoksi / ester vinil / kaca (EVG), epoksi / ester vinil / karbon (EVC), epoksi / ester vinil / kaca / karbon (EVGC-hibrid) dengan teknik susun atur lapisan menggunakan tangan. Selain itu, ujian mekanikal seperti tegangan, lenturan, hentaman dan HDT (suhu kelenturan panas) dilakukan pada semua varian mengikut piawaian ASTM. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa, penguat gentian karbon dengan semua kombinasi IPN telah menunjukkan prestasi luar biasa (dua kali ganda) daripada penguat gentian kaca-E, manakala lamina hibrid (campuran kaca-E / karbon) telah menunjukkan ciri-ciri sangat baik berbanding penguat gentian kaca-E tanpa mengira bahan matrik IPN. Semua hasil dapatan dibandingkan antara satu sama lain dan padanan variasi diplot sebagai carta bar.