Mechanical Characterization of Iron Flakes Filled Polyurethane Composites

Tensile and Fracture Toughness Tests are conducted on Iron-Flakes filled polyurethane composite of micrometer thickness (200–300 µm) thin film sheets having different weight fractions of iron-flakes filler percentages (10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60%) in the PU matrix. The PU-matrix is prepared by adding polyurethane resin and PU-hardener in (100:70) ratio by weight. Xylene as a solvent is added (20–40%) by solution weight to reduce the PU-matrix viscosity. Iron-Flakes fillers are reinforced at different weight fractions in the PU-matrices composite system. The tensile tests are conducted Using ASTM D412 on a UTM machine. Here we considered the compliance correction for the direct tensile test of the thin film sheet. The density of newly made composite materials is calculated by using the pycnometer method followed by ASTM D2734-16. It is observed that Young’s modulus, density, tensile strength, and fracture toughness of the PU/Iron-flakes composite increase with the increase in the filler weight fraction percent in the matrix. In contrast, the elongation percentage of the composites decreases. It is suggested that in the presence of high filler content in the matrix, the mechanical parameters and fracture toughness strength have improved the property of PU/Iron-flakes composites.