Fatigue Behavior of a Nanocomposite under a Fighter Aircraft Spectrum Load Sequence

Two different E-glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) composite laminates having quasi isotropic [(+45/-45/0/90)2]S layup sequence were fabricated viz., GFRP with neat epoxy matrix (GFRP-neat) and GFRP with modified epoxy matrix (GFRP-nano) containing 9 wt. % of CTBN rubber micro-particles and 10 wt.% of silica nanoparticles. Standard fatigue test specimens were machined from the laminates and end-tabbed. Spectrum fatigue tests under a standard fighter aircraft load spectrum, mini-FALSTAFF, were conducted on both the composites at various reference stress levels and the experimental fatigue life expressed as number of blocks to fail, were determined. The stiffness of the specimen was determined from the load-displacement data acquired at regular intervals during the fatigue test. The matrix cracks development in the test specimens with fatigue cycling was determined through optical photographic images. The fatigue life of GFRP-nanocomposite under mini-FALSTAFF load sequence was observed to be enhanced by about four times when compared to that of GFRP-neat composite due to presence of micro-and nanoparticles in the matrix. The stiffness degradation rate and matrix crack density was considerably lower in GFRP-nanocomposite when compared to that of GFRP-neat composite. The underlying mechanisms for improved fatigue performance of GFRP-nanocomposite are discussed.