Different amounts (0.1–5wt%) of graphite nanoplatelets (GNs) were added to vinylester (VE) for improving the properties of the composites cured at 25°C. The addition of 0.1wt% GN only increased the Tg and the thermal stability of the composite cured at 25°C. Furthermore, the addition of GN increased both the tensile strength and elongation‐at‐break of the composites cured at 25°C, but the effect of adding GN was less important when cured at 100°C. The improved properties of the composites were ascribed to the interactions between the oxygen species on the GN edges and the C==O and OH groups in the VE monomer, and to the higher fraction of the partially crosslinked polymer within the matrix. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E1381–E1390, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers

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This study presents the option of an effective low-impact energy dissipating material applied to GFRP (glass fiber reinforced plastic) composite laminates using auxectic technology in the case of planing hull vessels that use the same high-speed light materials that repeatedly impact the surface of the water when sailing, producing a slamming phenomenon. Research shows that the option to modify the laminate with an auxectic layer protects the laminate from damage. This work proposes the manufacturing of dissipative layers, introduced in laminates made with a polymeric matrix and fiberglass reinforcement, which are evaluated with weight drop tests under different impact energies. The data are collected and processed by a unidirectional gravitometer that gives the acceleration values of the impactor. The tests compare unmodified panels with modified panels, showing that the energy absorbed by the unmodified panel is greater at equal energy levels. The returned energy comparison curve is shown, and the benefits of its use are presented.

Currently, the procurement of lightweight, tough, and impact resistant materials is garnering significant industrial interest. New hybrid materials can be developed on the basis of the numerous naturally found materials with gradient properties found in nature. However, previous studies on granular materials demonstrate the possibility of capturing the energy generated by an impact within the material itself, thus deconstructing the initial impulse into a series of weaker impulses, dissipating the energy through various mechanisms, and gradually releasing undissipated energy. This work focuses on two production methods: spin coating for creating a granular material with composition and property gradients (an acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) polymer matrix reinforced by carbon nanolaminates at 0.10%, 0.25%, and 0.50%) and 3D printing for generating viscoelastic layers. The aim of this research was to obtain a hybrid material from which better behaviour against shocks and impacts and increased energy dissipation capacity could be expected when the granular material and viscoelastic layers were combined. Nondestructive tests were employed for the morphological characterization of the nanoreinforcement and testing reinforcement homogeneity within the matrix. Furthermore, the Voronoï tessellation method was used as a mathematical method to supplement the results. Finally, mechanical compression tests were performed to reveal additional mechanical properties of the material that had not been specified by the manufacturer of the 3D printing filaments.