Hybrid effects of basalt fibers and basalt powder on thermomechanical properties of epoxy composites

The influence of basalt powder addition on thermomechanical properties of basalt fiber reinforced epoxy composites was investigated in this study. The dynamic mechanical thermal analysis was carried out in a torsion mode. The mechanical properties were evaluated by means of static tensile test and Charpy impact strength method. The thermal stability was investigated by thermogravimetric analyses in inert and oxidizing atmospheres. Results showed that combining basalt fibers with basalt powder improves stiffness and thermal resistance of the epoxy composites. The new hybrid composites are more resistant to temperature changes than the reference sample as proven by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.