Author(s)

Sagar T. Cholake¹, Grainne Moran², Yu Bai³, R. K. Singh Raman^4,5, X. L. Zhao³, Sami Rizkalla⁶, Sri Bandyopadhyay^1*

¹School of Material Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
²Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
³Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.
⁴Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.
⁵Department of Chemical Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.
⁶Civil Engineering & Construction, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA.

As received recycled short milled carbon fiber (SMCF) reinforced diglycidal ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) epoxy matrix materials have been developed by ultra-sonication mixing of SMCF in epoxy then curing at room temperature for nine days. The SMCF with mean diameter 7.5 μm, and length 100 - 300 μm, was used at different loadings i.e. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 wt%. Elemental analysis, surface chemistry and crystallography of SMCF were examined using X-ray fluorescence, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Fourier Transform IR spectroscopy confirmed that both in unmodified and SMCF-modified epoxies, 99% curing was achieved. Surface microhardness study showed a slight increase with 5% and 10% SMCF addition. Raman study confirms no structural change in SMCF after incorporation in epoxy. Also, a numerical modelling is implemented to correlate the density of the modified epoxy and SMCF volume fraction/distribution uniformity.

Recycled Carbon Fibre, Discontinuous Reinforcement, Resins, Cure Behaviour

Cholake, S. , Moran, G. , Bai, Y. , Raman, R. , Zhao, X. , Rizkalla, S. and Bandyopadhyay, S. (2015) Physico-Chemical Characterization of Novel Epoxy Matrix System Reinforced with Recycled Short Milled Carbon Fibre. Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering, 3, 373-389. doi: 10.4236/jmmce.2015.35040.