Influence of hybrid (micro- and nano-) fillers on quasi-static and impact response of GFRP composite

Efficient crashworthiness of composite materials is one of the fundamental issues in design of lightweight vehicles to provide high amount of energy absorption, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, fuel cost, and to achieve consolidation of multiple components. In this paper, the impact behavior of hybrid nano-/micro-modified composite laminates was investigated. The laminates used were symmetric Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastics (GFRP) intended for automotive applications. The hybrid nano-/micro fillers were chosen based on their individual and synergistic benefits/contributions during impact loading conditions. Impact testing at particular energy level was performed using drop-weight impact tests (DWIT).The impact response was evaluated in terms of damage progression by visual observations of the impacted specimens, evolution of the peak force and of the bending stiffness with corresponding absorbed energy. Additionally, the damaged specimens were inspected using dye penetration method. Experimental results revealed that the impact response of GFRP varied based on the type and concentration of the filler. Initial results show that the damage resistance is affected by the unique phenomena caused by the presence of micro-/ nano-fillers. A better understanding of these phenomena and their contributions is essential for design of resulting structural components.