An experimental investigation on the flexural and wear properties of multiscale nanoclay/basalt fiber/epoxy composites.

In this work, multiscale basalt fiber/epoxy composites were fabricated using silane‐modified Na+‐montmorillonite nanoclay, at various contents (0.5, 1, 3, and 5 wt% with respect to the matrix). Flexural and tribological characteristics of the composites were studied. First of all, a silane coupling agent, namely 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (3‐APTS), was applied onto the surface of the nanoclay particles, and then the effects of modified nanoclay on the three‐point bending and wear properties of the basalt fiber/epoxy composites were assessed. Fourier transform infrared spectra indicated that the 3‐APTS coupling agent was successfully grafted onto the surface of the nanoclay particles after modification. The three‐point bending test results demonstrated that the basalt fiber/epoxy composite having 3 wt% modified nanoclay had the highest flexural strength and modulus. On the other hand, the pin‐on‐disk wear test results showed that the multiscale composite containing 5 wt% modified nanoclay had the highest wear resistance. Finally, the fracture and worn surfaces of the specimens were assessed to identify the dominant mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]