Mechanical, thermal and interfacial properties of Carbon-Kevlar reinforced epoxy composite

Twill woven Carbon-Kevlar (CK) fabric was reinforced in epoxy matrix by conventional hand lay-up process. The fabric weight fraction in the composites was kept around 58% and stacking sequence was varied from single to five plies. Tensile test was performed and the fracture surface after tensile test was evaluated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The test result revealed that the tensile properties are strongly dependent on the number of plies. Three point flexural test of the composite was also carried and an increasing trend was observed. Maximum impact energy was recorded for CK3 sample by 202.7 KJ/m2. Thermal stability of the composite was studied via the thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) result show interaction between fiber and matrix material. Finally, CK fabric reinforced epoxy-based composites showed balanced and tailor-able mechanical properties by varying the number of plies, suitable for desired applications in many areas including building, construction, marine, automotive, etc.