Nanoclay enhancement of flexural properties and water uptake resistance of glass fiber-reinforced epoxy composites at different temperatures

In this study, glass fiber-reinforced epoxy-nanoclay composite plates, with I.30E clay contents ranging between 0 and 5 wt.%, were manufactured by hand layup with hot pressing. Flexural strength of unexposed fiber-reinforced epoxy-nanoclay reached an optimum improvement of 11% for 1.5 wt.%. Scanning electron microscope analysis showed that at this clay loading, better interfacial adhesion of clay with glass fibers was achieved. At higher clay loadings, clay agglomeration and presence micro-voids led to less strength improvement. The maximum water uptake was found to decrease with increasing clay loading and moisture diffusion at 80celcius was about 80% higher than that at room temperature. Post exposure flexural tests revealed a behavior similar to that of unexposed samples with nanoclay loading of 1.5 wt.% leading to optimal flexural properties. Exposure to moisture resulted in degradation of fiber-reinforced epoxy-nanoclay flexural properties with about 36% reduction in strength for 80celcius and 8% for room temperature.