Investigating the High Velocity Impact Behavior of the Laminated Composites of Aluminum/Jute Fibers- Epoxy Containing Nanoclay Particles

In this research work, the effect of adding nanoclay on the high velocity impact behavior of fibers metal laminates (FMLs) of aluminum- Jute fibers/epoxy was investigated. To do so, the nanoclay particles with different percentages (0, 1, 3 and 5 wt.%) were firstly added into the epoxy matrix. In the following, the FMLs with the configuration of 0/90/0/90/0 were made by hand lay-up method. After that, the fabricated samples were tested by high velocity impact test. In order to investigate the effect of nanoparticles on the impact properties, the field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) was used. The obtained results showed that the samples with 0, 1, 3 and 5 wt.% had the limit velocity of 81.9, 83.7, 87.4 and 85.4 m/s, respectively. The limit velocity increment in these samples by adding nanoclay were 2.2, 6.7 and 4.3 %, respectively. Also, the obtained results showed that by adding the 1, 3 and 5 wt.% nanoclay, the absorbed energy was improved about 4.5, 14 and 8.8 %, respectively. The sample with 3 wt.% nanoclay had minimum delamination length between aluminum shell and composite core, which was due to the effect of nanoclay in the interface adhesion of core-shell. The microscopically analysis showed that the nanoclay increased the fibrillation of Jute fibers as one of the absorbed energy mechanisms in the Jute fibers. Also, the agglomeration phenomenon in the sample with the 5 wt.% nanoclay was illustrated, which was the decreasing factor of its impact properties, as comparison with sample with 3 wt.% nanoclay.