journal article·2026-07-16Open access

Functionally Graded Nanofiber Interlayers for Hydrothermally Aged Glass/Epoxy Laminates: Mechanical Performance and Electromagnetic Attenuation

Hasan Ulus, Mehmet Emin Çetin, Bertan Beylergil, Alp Oral Salman, Mürsel Ekrem, Hayrettin Düzcükoğlu

Abstract

ABSTRACT Functionally graded Ag/Fe 3 O 4 ‐loaded polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber interlayers were placed between selected glass fabric plies to improve interlaminar damage resistance in glass fiber‐reinforced polymer (GFRP) laminates while adding a secondary electromagnetic interference (EMI) attenuation function. Unlike filler‐modified systems, the functional nanoparticles were carried by electrospun nanofiber mats and localized at ply interfaces instead of being dispersed throughout the epoxy matrix. PAN nanofiber mats and nanofiber/epoxy thin panels were first tested to compare Ag‐, Fe 3 O 4 ‐, and hybrid‐modified systems, and the selected graded architecture was then transferred to GFRP laminates. Neat and nanofiber‐interleaved laminates were tested before and after immersion in distilled water at 70°C for 21 days. In the unaged state, nanofiber interleaving increased tensile strength, flexural strength, apparent interlaminar shear strength, and Mode‐I fracture energy by 22.9%, 20.8%, 19.5%, and 25.1%, respectively. After aging, the same properties remained 30.7%, 32.5%, 27.0%, and 22.4% higher than aged neat GFRP. At 10 GHz, total shielding effectiveness increased from 1.79 to 9.72 dB and remained 5.78 dB after aging. The results show that graded nanofiber interlayers can improve the damage tolerance of GFRP laminates while providing an added moderate electromagnetic attenuation function.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Electromagnetic wave absorption materials · Mechanical Behavior of Composites · Fiber-reinforced polymer composites

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Huglu Vocational School, Selcuk University Konya Türkiye

Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Research and Application Center & Composite Technologies Center of Excellence Sabanci University Istanbul Türkiye

Aeronautical Engineering Department Necmettin Erbakan University Konya Türkiye

Department of Mechanical Engineering Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University Antalya Türkiye

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering Kocaeli University Kocaeli Türkiye

Department of Mechanical Engineering Selçuk University Konya Türkiye

Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering Necmettin Erbakan University Konya Türkiye

Funding

Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştırma Kurumu

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