Experimental Investigation of Graphene and TiO2 Reinforced Poly(vinyl alcohol)-based Fiber Metal Laminates
摘要
This study investigates the mechanical performance of hybrid fiber-metal laminates (FMLs) fabricated using a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrix reinforced with woven glass and carbon fibers, further enhanced with titanium dioxide (TiO2) and graphene fillers. The composites were fabricated using the vacuum bag molding process, and to optimize the mechanical behavior, different filler loadings were incorporated as graphene at (0.5 wt%, 1 wt%, and 3 wt%), and TiO2 (0.5 wt%, 1 wt%, 2 wt%, and 3 wt%). Mechanical tests revealed that the inclusion of filler particles significantly enhanced tensile, flexural, and toughness properties. The optimal graphene loading was found to be 0.5 wt%, resulting in an 83.4% increase in Young’s modulus and a 127% improvement in tensile strength compared to PVA composites without filler. Optimal loading for TiO2 was 2% by weight, which resulted in a 102.3% increase in Young’s modulus and an 81.5% increase in ultimate tensile strength. The maximum flexural properties were achieved for 0.5 wt% graphene-loaded composites, with a flexural strength of 56.6 MPa and a flexural modulus of 19.3 GPa, while the highest toughness value of 4.2 MPa was also observed at this loading. Density analysis showed a slight increase in composite density with filler addition and minimum porosity at 0.5 wt% graphene and 2 wt% TiO2, consistent with improved mechanical performance. XRD and FTIR analysis confirmed successful filler incorporation, enhanced crystallinity for TiO2-filled composites, and the SEM analysis confirmed the strong interfacial interactions without altering the PVA matrix chemistry, while higher filler loadings led to property degradation due to particle agglomeration and stress concentration effects.