Effect of Graphite Nanoplatelet Loading on the Microcrack Mitigation Capabilities of Composite Structures

Graphite nanoplatelets were added to the matrices of carbon fiber/epoxy composites to determine the effect of particle loading on the microcrack mitigation capabilities of composite samples after exposure to cryogenic temperatures. Volumetric particle concentrations of zero, one, two, three, four, five, and ten percent were added to the epoxy resin during filament winding. Although most of the samples contained some microcracks after cryogenic cycling, the graphite nanoplatelets seemed to have prevented the microcracks from propagating further. After comparing the various graphite nanoplatelet loadings, the addition of ten volume percent demonstrated the most drastic decrease in the number of microcracks within the laminate.