Experimental Characterization and Modeling Multifunctional Properties of Epoxy/Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites

Thermomechanical modeling of epoxy/graphene oxide under quasi-static and dynamic loading requires thermo-mechanical properties such as Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio, thermal conductivity, and frequency-temperature dependent viscoelastic properties. In this study, the effects of different graphene oxide (GO) concentrations (0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 wt%) within an epoxy matrix on several mechanical and thermal properties were investigated. The distribution of GO fillers in the epoxy was investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The digital image correlation (DIC) technique was employed during the tensile testing to determine Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio. Analytical models were used to predict Young’s modulus and thermal conductivity, with an error of less than 13% and 9%, respectively. Frequency–temperature dependent phenomenological models were proposed to predict the storage moduli and loss tangent, with a reasonable agreement with experimental data. A relatively high storage modulus, heat-resistance index (T_HRI), and thermal conductivity were observed in 0.2 wt% nanocomposite samples compared with pure epoxy and other lower concentration GO nanocomposites. A high T_HRI and derivative of thermogravimetric analysis peak temperatures (T_m1 and T_m2) were exhibited by adding nano-fillers in the epoxy, which confirms higher thermal stability of nanocomposites than that of pristine epoxy.