The current study investigates the impact characteristics of polymeric-based nanocomposites strengthened with carbon nanotubes, nanoclay, aluminum oxide and silicon carbide particles nanofillers. Different weight percentages of each nanofiller were prepared. A dead weight drop mechanism was utilized to compare the impact characteristics of different nanocomposite materials. An X-ray technique was utilized to characterize the formation of microstructural defects of the laminated composites post impact. The results showed that the nanoclay fillers were the best to enhance the impact and mechanical properties of the composite materials with 4.3 wt% of nanoclay being the optimum percentage.
CantwellWJCurtisPTMortonJ. Post impact fatigue performance of carbon fiber laminates with nonwoven and mixed woven layers. Composites1983; 14: 301–305.
ABAQUS, ABAQUS Manual Set, 2007, Simulia Inc., Providence, RI 02909-2499, USA.
5.
DanielIMMiyagawaHGdoutosEE. Processing and characterization of epoxy/clay nanocomposites. Exper Mech2003; 43: 348–354.
6.
ASTM international. Test method for measuring the damage resistance of a fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composite to a drop-weight impact event, West Conshohocken, PA: American Society for Testing and Materials D 7136, 2000.
GutowskiTGMorigakiTCaiZ. The consolidation of laminate composites. J Compos Mater1987; 21: 172–172.
13.
ReidSRZhouG. Impact behavior of fiber-reinforced composite materials and structures, Florida: CRC Press LLC, 2000.
14.
Hallett SR and Ruiz C. Fracture of composite beams under impact. In: Proceeding of the 11th International Conference of Experimental Mechanics, Oxford, 1998, pp.181–186.
