Low Velocity Impact and Tensile Performance of GFRPs Interleaved with Electrospun Nylon 6,6 Nanofiber Mats

Abstract

Nanofibers can be interleaved into polymers and improvements in mechanical properties such as resistance to impact, delamination and debonding as well as enhanced ductility can be obtained. In this work, GFRP laminated composites were interleaved to non-woven nylon 6,6 nanofiber mats which were generated by the electrospinning method. Four kinds of configurations were considered; two pure configurations where GFRP had two and four glass fiber layers and the other two kinds of nanofiber modified configurations that had one and three nylon 6,6 nanofiber mats being interleaved in GFRP. Those specimens were then investigated for their impact resistance, energy absorption and tensile strength capabilities in regard to low-velocity impact and tensile tests. The results showed that adding nylon 6,6 nanofiber mats can increase energy absorption values of the modified specimens, but some decrease in load capacities could be observed.