The effect of thickness on the multiwalled carbon nanotubes performance in glass/epoxy composite laminates under dynamic loading

Abstract The aim of this research is to investigate the thickness influence on the efficiency of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in glass/epoxy composite laminates under the high‐velocity impact. Combining 0.25 wt% of MWCNTs in the 4‐layer and 8‐layer specimens and 0.1 wt% of MWCNTs in the 16‐layer specimen led to the maximum rise in the energy absorption and specific perforation energy compared with the unreinforced laminates. The significant growth in energy absorption in the 4‐layer, 8‐layer, and 16‐layer specimens was 5.8, 8.3, and 14.4 J, respectively. The number of agglomerations (dislocations) in the matrix was consequently increased as a function of thickness, which led to the better performance of MWCNTs with lower weight percentages in the composite laminates containing more layers. The scanning electron microscope was used to observe the dispersion and agglomeration of MWCNTs in the resin epoxy, and there was also an improvement in the fiber–resin bonding.