Impact properties of composite materials : the significance of glass microspheres

Ullah, Sultan (author), Palevičius, Arvydas (author), Janušas, Giedrius (author), Ul Hasan, Zeeshan (author)

Due to their exceptional qualities, polymer matrix composite materials are finding more and more use in high-tech applications. The purpose of this work was to improve these composites' resilience to impact by adding glass microspheres to thermosetting phenolic resins. Glass fabric was used as the reinforcing material. The main objective of the study was to determine how different glass microsphere percentages affected the composites' mechanical characteristics. A fibre volume fraction of 0.6 was attained by utilising compression moulding to create the composites, which were made from four glass fabric plies. The mechanical properties were considerably improved by the addition of glass microspheres; the best results were noted at concentrations of 6–8%. More specifically, there was a noticeable improvement in tensile strength and a 6% rise in tensile modulus. Based on the results, the addition of glass microspheres to composite materials improves both their mechanical and energy-absorbing capabilities, thus making them more appropriate for use in impact applications.

• Language: English
• Keywords: 2D woven fabric, polymer matrix composites, glass microspheres, thermosetting resins, impact strength, automotive applications
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: NTF - Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 57-69
• Numbering: Vol. 68, no. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-176817
• ISSN on article: 0351-3386
• DOI: 10.14502/tekstilec.68.2024113
• COBISS.SI-ID: 262198019
• Publication date in RUL: 11.12.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Tekstilec : glasilo slovenskih tekstilcev
• Shortened title: Tekstilec
• Publisher: Zveza inženirjev in tehnikov tekstilcev, Splošno združenje tekstilne industrije, Zveza inženirjev in tehnikov tekstilcev, Splošno združenje tekstilne industrije, Društvo inženirjev in tehnikov tekstilcev, Univerza v Ljubljani, Naravoslovnotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za tekstilstvo, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 0351-3386
• COBISS.SI-ID: 763396

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Odpornost kompozitnih materialov proti udarcem : pomen steklenih mikrokroglic

Abstract

Polimerne kompozite zaradi njihovih izjemnih lastnosti čedalje več uporabljajo za visokotehnološke aplikacije. Namen te raziskave je bil izboljšati odpornost polimernih kompozitov proti udarcem z dodajanjem steklenih mikrokroglic termoreaktivnim fenolnim smolam. Za ojačitev je bila uporabljena steklena tkanina. Glavni cilj raziskave je bil ugotoviti, kako različni odstotki dodanih steklenih mikrokroglic v polimerno matrico vplivajo na mehanske lastnosti kompozitov. Ti so bili izdelani s stiskanjem štirih plasti steklenih tkanin, katerih utežni delež v kompozitih je znašal 0,6. Mehanske lastnosti kompozitov so se znatno izboljšale z dodajanjem steklenih mikrokroglic. Najboljše rezultate so dosegli pri 6–8 ut. odstotku dodanih mikrokroglic, kjer se je opazno izboljšala natezna trdnost, za šest odstotkov pa se je povečal natezni modul. Dodatek steklenih mikrokroglic je izboljšal mehanske lastnosti kompozitnih materialov in sposobnost absorpcije energije, zato so tovrstni kompoziti primerni za izdelke, odporne proti udarcem.

• Keywords: 2-D tkanina, polimerni kompoziti, steklene mikrosfere, termoreaktivne smole, udarna trdnost, uporaba v avtomobilski industriji