Term of Award

Spring 2023

Degree Name

Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (restricted to Georgia Southern)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Committee Chair

Mujibur Khan

Committee Member 1

Aniruddha Mitra

Committee Member 2

Hossain Ahmed

Abstract

This research investigates the fabrication of hybrid nano Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers and their composites. The solution spinning method was used in the study to fabricate three different types of fibers: UHMWPE fibers, UHMWPE + 2 wt.% SWCNT fibers and UHMWPE + 10 wt.% PVP/PVDF coated fibers. Strain hardening was performed on the produced fibers, and mechanical testing was performed in order to determine the properties of fibers. The mechanical properties of the fibers involved the ultimate tensile strength, young’s modulus, fracture strain, and modulus of toughness. The focus was determining the effect of the inclusion of nanotubes on their mechanical properties. Neat UHMWPE fibers have an average stress and strain of 561.88 MPa and 106.67% respectively. The fiber properties decrease with the addition of nanotubes at low concentrations. The inclusion of 2 wt% nanotubes decrease the average stress and strain to 209 MPa and 68 % respectively. However, the inclusion of nanotubes as high as 10wt% significantly increases the toughness, young’s modulus, and ultimate strength of the fibers.

The produced fibers were used to fabricate composites. The fibers involved in the production of the composites were not strain hardened. The maximum average stress-strain values of the composites were used to determine the following: the ultimate tensile strength, young’s modulus, fracture strain, and modulus of toughness of the composites. The experiment results showed that the composite made of 3:1 epoxy hardener, without any fiber, had higher tensile strength and young’s modulus compared to the other type of composites. Composite UHMWPE had higher tensile strength, modulus, fracture strain, and energy absorption compared to the composites with the inclusion of nanotubes. Composite with the presence of surface modifier (POSS) on the surface of the fibers had the lowest tensile strength and young modulus compared to the other type of composites but had about the same fracture strain as composite UHMWPE, and higher energy absorption compared the two other types of composites with the inclusion of nanotubes. An improper bounding between the fibers and the polymer matrix reduces the properties of the composite significantly compared to their respective fibers.

Research Data and Supplementary Material

Yes

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