Mechanical and visco-elastic analysis of viscose fiber based needle-punched nonwoven fabric mat reinforced polymer composites: Part I

Composites were fabricated using viscose fiber-based needlepunched nonwoven fabric mat as a reinforcement material, with varying mass per unit area of fabric mat (VS200gsm, VS400gsm and VS600gsm) and varying fabric mat weight percentage. The effect of varying mass per unit area of fabric mat and weight percentage loading of these different fabric mats were reported on mechanical, physical and visco-elastic properties of needlepunched nonwoven reinforced epoxy composites. The mechanical and physical characterization was analyzed experimentally, and thermo-mechanical stability studied via the dynamic mechanical analysis, to measure the storage modulus (E), loss modulus (E) and damping factor (tan ) of nonwoven fabric mat-reinforced composites over a temperature range of 20? to 200? at 1Hz frequency. The storage modulus (E) diminish with increase in temperature, with a significant fall in the temperature range 50-80? for all the composites. Loss modulus (E) shows the variation from 60MPa to 150MPa, whereas glass transient temperature (T-g) from the tan peaks, varies from 70? to 85?. The comparative analysis shows that with the incorporation of nonwoven fabric mat weight percentage in composites, all mechanical and physical properties of composites improve significantly. These mechanical and physical properties are also improving with raise in mass per unit area of fabric mats from VS200gsm to VS600gsm.