Short-fiber-reinforced epoxy foams

Fiber-reinforced epoxy foams were synthesized with chopped glass and aramid fibers. The influence of fiber loading and length was investigated in order to optimize the properties of these materials. The mechanical performance of the foams was measured under compression and shear loading and compared with competing phenolic and polyurethane foams for calibration, as well as with unreinforced epoxy foam. In general, the mechanical behavior of the reinforced samples showed improvements with respect to the unreinforced foam. The microstructure of the reinforced samples was examined and revealed a homogeneous distribution of cells. The cell distribution was only modified when aramid fibers were used in the manufacture of composites. The thermal stability of the samples was analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Samples reinforced with glass fibers exhibited thermal stability superior to those reinforced with aramid fibers. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.