The Effect of Elevated Temperature on The Mechanical and Morphological Properties of Aramid and Carbon Fiber Reinforced Epoxy/MWCNTs
Roosdinal Umar (a*), Istiroyah (a), Herry Purnomo (b), Dandy Ramadhan Tri Hutomo (a), Yurohman (c), Mohamad Baiquni (d)

a) Department of Physic, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Brawijaya University, Malang 65145, Indonesia
*roosdinalumar[at]student.ub.ac.id
b) Research Center for Rocket Technology, Research Organization for Aeronautics and Space, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor 16350, Indonesia
c) Center of Polymer Technology, Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Banten 15314, Indonesia
d) Directorate of Laboratory Management, Research Facilities, and Science and Technology Park, Deputy for
Research and Innovation Infrastructure, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jakarta 10340, Indonesia

Abstract

Aramid and carbon Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) have been widely used in automotive and aerospace industries, due to high-strength and low-density. The development of FRP composite material needed to achieve higher mechanical properties of FRP in aerospace fabrication, especially for the performance of FRP composite exposed to elevated temperature. This study experimentally examined the effects of elevated temperature on mechanical and morphological properties of aramid and carbon reinforced epoxy/MWCNT. The tensile test was carried out at room-temperature, 50C and 120C. DGEBA (Araldite/Aradur LY5052-1) and MWCNT (XFNANO) dispersed and combined of carbon fiber (T-700S 12k) by vacuum infusion method, and characterization by tensile machine (Shimadzu AGX-plus), thermostatic chamber (Shimadzu TCE-300N), and morphological test by SEM (Phenom Pro-x), optical microscopy (Olympus-BX51). The result showed incorporated MWCNT on CFRP composites improving the ultimate tensile strength, elongation at fracture, and modulus of 13.88%, 11.46%, and 7.5%, respectively, at 120C tensile test temperature. CFRP/MWCNT showed a tensile strength increase of 18.26% and 34.08% at 50C and 120C tensile test temperature, respectively. Aramid fiber reinforced epoxy/MWCNT showed a tensile strength decrease of 10.71% and 12.49% at 50C and 120C. Morphologically, CFRP showed a great brittle than aramid fiber reinforced epoxy/MWCNT. Moreover, MWCNT reducing debonding of CFRP at elevated temperature. Therefore, this study is expected to be reference for composite materials used and replace the metal domination in rocket components for the preparation of manufacturing rocket-components at Research Organization for Aeronautics and Space, Deputy for Research, and Innovation Infrastructure.

Keywords: Fiber reinforced epoxy/MWCNT - Mechanical properties - Elevated temperatures- Aerospace components.

Topic: Engineering