Silica aerogel infused hierarchical glass fiber polymer composites

David B. Anthony, Sang N. Nguyen, Hui Qian, Shi Xu, Charles M.D. Shaw, Emile S. Greenhalgh, Alexander Bismarck, Milo S.P. Shaffer (Corresponding author)

Publications: Contribution to journalArticlePeer Reviewed

Abstract

Hierarchical systems can address the matrix-dominated failures of structural fiber polymer composites. Here, a new synergistic hierarchical structure combines conventional structural glass fibers with a bi-continuous silica-based aerogel matrix; both pure-silica and organically-modified silicate aerogels are demonstrated. When infused with an epoxy matrix, this type of hierarchical architecture showed a marked improvement in mechanical properties: without any loss in modulus, both the compressive strength and the interlaminar shear strength increased by up to 27%, relative to the equivalent glass-fiber reinforced epoxy composite baseline. The bi-continuous network modification strategy uses industrially-relevant infusion techniques, at or near room temperature, and retains a similar final composite density (within 2%). The strategy presented here provides a versatile and readily applicable means to improve state-of-the art continuous fiber reinforced composite systems in compression and offers an opportunity to develop a new generation of composite materials.

Original languageEnglish
Article number101531
JournalComposites Communications
Volume39
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2023

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

  • 205019 Material sciences
  • 104018 Polymer chemistry
  • 104017 Physical chemistry

Keywords

  • 3-Dimensional reinforcement
  • Glass fiber
  • Nano-structure
  • Silica aerogel

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