Enhanced Salty Water Durability of Halloysite Nanotube Reinforced Epoxy/Basalt Fiber Hybrid Composites

In this study, we report the effect of halloysite nanotube (HNT) modification on salty water aging durability of epoxy (Ep)/basalt fiber (BF) hybrid composites. For this, various amounts of HNTs were introduced into the Ep matrix, and the HNTs/Ep mixture was used to impregnate basalt fabrics to fabricate hybrid laminated composites. The hybrid composites were exposed substantial increases in the tensile strength and the fracture toughness. Besides, after salty water aging for 6 months, the hybrid composites exhibited remarkably improved aging performance with almost 10 % less reduction in both tensile and flexural strengths and fracture toughness compared to the neat basalt-epoxy composites. SEM analysis showed relatively less number of cracks, micro-voids and better interfacial bonding for the 2 wt% HNTs reinforced hybrid composite specimens in comparison to the neat counterpart, similarly conditioned in all cases. The consequences of salty water aging on micro-scale morphology were discussed based on the fracture morphologies to reveal degradation mechanisms in the existence of HNTs reinforcement.