Investigation on the Mechanical Behaviour and Chemical Stability of Rubber Incorporated Carbon Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composites

• Dr.R.Jeevi Esther Rathnakumari

  english

  Author

Carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composites are widely utilized in aerospace, automotive, and marine engineering due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. However, their inherent brittleness often limits their energy absorption capabilities. This study focuses on developing and comparatively evaluating rubber-incorporated carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composites to enhance fracture toughness without significantly compromising structural integrity. Two distinct formulations featuring 10% and 15% rubber particle weight fractions were developed. The composites were fabricated using a combination of hand lay-up and vacuum bag molding techniques, utilizing mechanical stirring to ensure uniform dispersion of the rubber particles within the epoxy matrix prior to curing. Mechanical properties were systematically evaluated using a Universal Testing Machine (UTM) in accordance with ASTM standards, while chemical durability was assessed via immersion in water, hydrochloric acid (HCl), and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solutions. Experimental results revealed that the composite containing 10% rubber content exhibited superior mechanical performance compared to the 15% formulation, achieving a tensile strength of 654.16 MPa, a tensile modulus of 646.47 MPa, a flexural strength of 11.78 MPa, and a flexural modulus of 5.36 MPa. Furthermore, both formulations demonstrated exceptional environmental stability, exhibiting no measurable weight loss across all corrosive media. The study concludes that optimizing rubber incorporation at 10% successfully balances enhanced toughness with high mechanical and chemical stability, offering a highly viable material solution for demanding structural applications.

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