Toughening Mechanism of Recycled Rubber Based Composites Reinforced with Glass Fibers + Alumina Fibers for Military Applications

Abstract

Military grade composites are used in many different applications for their low weight to protect the equipment from harm or destruction. In this research, low-cost devulcanized recycled rubber based composites were designed with short glass fibers + glass bubbles reinforcements. After determination (in wt% percentages) of the reinforcements with matrix, a special process was applied to complete successfully the manufacturing of these composites (silanization of the recycled rubber and devulcanization before blending it with epoxy resin and reinforcement). All of the details of these processes were given in former papers (Irez et al., Materials 12:2729, 2019; Irez et al., Polymers 12:448, 2020; Irez et al., Mechanics of composite and multi-functional materials, Springer, pp 59–70, 2017; Irez and Bayraktar, Mechanics of composite and multi-functional materials, Springer, pp 73–80, 2019). After that, the relevant toughening mechanisms for the most suitable reinforcements were analyzed in detail for front and rear parts in the military applications (such as military vehicles, boats, etc.). For this purpose, certain mechanical and physical properties (ISO 13586: 2000), (KIC—Fracture toughness stress intensity factor and GIc—Critical energy release rate in mode I) have been determined by fracture toughness tests (static 3P bending test with single edge notch specimens). Microstructural and fracture surfaces analyses have been carried out by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). © 2022, The Society for Experimental Mechanics.