The potential use of electrospun polylactic acid nanofibers as alternative reinforcements in an epoxy composite system |
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Authors: | Yu Dong Tariq Mosaval Hazim J. Haroosh Rehan Umer Hitoshi Takagi Kin‐Tak Lau |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Curtin University, , Perth, Western Australia, 6845 Australia;2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, , Perth, Western Australia, 6845 Australia;3. Department of Aerospace Engineering, Khalifa University of Science Technology & Research, , Abu Dhabi, 127788 United Arab Emirates;4. Advanced Materials Division, Institute of Technology and Science, The University of Tokushima, , Tokushima, 770–8506 Japan;5. Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, , Kowloon, Hong Kong, China |
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Abstract: | This pilot study elaborates the development of novel epoxy/electrospun polylactic acid (PLA) nanofiber composites at the fiber contents of 3, 5, and 10 wt % to evaluate their mechanical and thermal properties using flexural tests and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The flexural moduli of composites increase remarkably by 50.8 and 24.0% for 5 and 10 wt % fiber contents, respectively, relative to that of neat epoxy. Furthermore, a similar trend is also shown for corresponding flexural strengths being enhanced by 31.6 and 4.8%. Fractured surface morphology with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirms a full permeation of cured epoxy matrix into nanofiber structures and existence of nondestructive fibrous networks inside large void cavities. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of composites increases up to 54–60 °C due to embedded electrospun nanofibers compared to 50 °C for that of epoxy, indicating that fibrous networks may further restrict the intermolecular mobility of matrix in thermal effects. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 618–623 |
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Keywords: | biopolymers electrospinning fibers mechanical properties nanocomposites |
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