Experimental study on the impact of hybrid GFRP composites with graphene oxide and silicon carbide fillers on mechanical and wear properties

Recently, there has been a rapid increase in the demand for manufacturing reliable and innovative components. FRP composites are ideal for various engineering applications due to their low cost, lightweight, high strength-to-weight ratio, mechanical properties, and heat resistance. This research focuses on fabricating GFRP composites with graphene oxide (GO) and silicon carbide (SiC) fillers using the hand-layup method. Mechanical tests were performed using UTM, and wear testing was conducted through fretting wear analysis. The outcomes reveal that the optimal mechanical characteristics, including tensile strength, flexural strength, and short beam strength (SBS), were 242.73 MPa, 317.13 MPa, and 40.05 MPa, respectively, at a 0.5 wt.% GO filler concentration. The laminate composite achieved a maximum tensile and flexural modulus of 8.03 GPa and 13.59 GPa correspondingly with the incorporation of 0.5% GO micro-fillers to the epoxy matrix with respect to the NE composite, due to improved interfacial bonding between the matrix and filler. Additionally, the best wear resistance in the laminate composite was observed with a hybrid micro-filler combination of 1% SiC and 1% GO introduced into the polymer matrix, leading to minimal material removal from the GFRP laminate composite. The worn surfaces of the composites were analyzed using (FE-SEM) to explore potential wear mechanisms. It was revealed that during the initial phases of wear, the participation of the fillers plays a substantial role in the GFRP composite. The introduction of hybrid fillers into composite renders it an encouraging material for industrial purposes requiring exalted strength and exceptional wear resistance.