Fabrication of Graphene Platelet (GPL)-Epoxy Nanocomposites and Characterization by Nanoindentation

Main objective of this work is to manufacture the graphene platelet (GPL)-epoxy nanocomposite and to characterize the nanocomposite using nanoindentation technique. Thermal reduction of graphite oxide is the method used to obtain bulk quantities of graphene platelets (GPL) which comprise multiple graphene sheets. Dispersion of GPL in epoxy matrix is done with sonication and high speed shear mixing is used for mixing curing agent and resin. Following the manufacturing of graphene platelet-epoxy nanocomposites, characterization of the material was performed by nanoindentation. Nanoindentation experiments are performed under load or displacement control at different load/displacement rates to investigate rate dependent behavior of the nanocomposite. The primary mechanical properties obtained from the nanoindentation tests which are the hardness and the elasticity modulus are determined.