Herein, the interface of epoxy and
graphene oxide (GO) is tailored
through hydroxylated poly(ether ether ketone) (HPEEK). The resultant
modification (HPEEK-g-GO) improved the interfacial adhesion between
epoxy and carbon fiber (CF) in the laminates. This strategy resulted
in improved tensile strength, modulus, and storage modulus by 8, 10,
and 26%, respectively, with respect to control samples (epoxy/CF laminates).
The HPEEK-g-GO was thoroughly characterized using spectroscopic techniques
and was infused using vacuum-enhanced resin infusion technology into
the epoxy/CF laminates. To address the challenges involved with primary
agglomeration, the composite formulation was subjected to mechanical
stirring coupled with bath sonication throughout the mixing process.
The improved structural properties in epoxy/CF laminates were attributed
to HPEEK-g-GO “interconnects”, which provided the necessary
reinforcement owing to better interfacial adhesion with the CF mat
as inferred from the fracture surface morphology assessed using SEM.
In addition, the epoxy laminates containing HPEEK-g-GO also showed
flame-retardant properties along with good thermal stability. The
electromagnetic interference shielding capability of the modified
laminates was also evaluated in the frequency range of 12–18
GHz. It was observed that the laminates exhibited a shielding effectiveness
of −50 dB. Thus, this strategy offers some promise in fabricating
epoxy/CF laminates with multifunctional properties through HPEEK-g-GO “interconnects”.
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