Mechanical behaviour of graphene oxide embedded epoxy nanocomposite at sub-and above-zero temperature environments

To elucidate the effect of in-service temperature on the stability of interface and hence on the mechanical performance of the graphene oxide filled epoxy (GO-EP) nanocomposite, flexural testing has been performed at various temperatures in the range of - 80 degrees C to + 90 degrees C. Mechanically gripped interface at - 80 degrees C promotes effective stress transfer resulting in a superior flexural strength of the nanocomposite, which is 82% higher than neat epoxy (EP). Microscopic evidence of the state of the interface as a function of temperature has been presented to evaluate its influence on the overall mechanical performance of the nanocomposite.