Influence of Graphene Oxide and Silanized Graphene Oxide on the Structural and Thermal Behavior of GFRP Composites

ABSTRACT This study examines the impact of graphene oxide (GO) and silanized graphene oxide (SiGO) on the mechanical as well as thermal properties of glass fiber/epoxy (GFRP) laminated composites. GO was functionalized with 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) to yield SiGO, which led to improved dispersion in the epoxy along with interfacial bonding. Laminates were manufactured via hand lay‐up and by integrating 0.1–1.0 wt.% of GO and SiGO using ultrasonic dual mode mixing (UDMM) technique in GFRP. Mechanical testing unveiled pronounced enhancements, with 0.7 wt.% SiGO composites exhibiting ~45% higher tensile strength, 98% higher tensile modulus, 76.8% higher flexural strength, and 89.9% higher flexural modulus relative to neat laminate, credited to improved filler dispersion as well as matrix–filler adhesion. Thermal assessment implied elevated decomposition temperatures, higher char residue, and increased glass transition temperatures, affirming improved thermal stability. SEM fractography backed these outcomes. The results exhibit that silanized GO efficiently improves mechanical strength and thermal stability in GFRP laminates, providing a potential for high‐performance composites in state‐of‐the‐art engineering applications.