(80g) Effect of Gas Phase Chemical Modification On Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite In Situ Joint Strength

In engineering materials; composites are becoming more and more prominent due to their high strength and stiffness to weight ratios. Composites are being used in the structural  and aerospace applications. In fabrication of complex parts joining of composites is very important. Joint is the point of discontinuity which bears all the load applied to the structure, it means reliability of the mechanical structure entirely depends upon the strength of the joint. Researchers have been working in the field of process development to increase the joint strength . Therefore, in this study methods to increase the joint strength by chemical means has been investigated. Gas phase nitration (NO_x) and Amination have been employed to the joint in the present investigation and functional groups attached to the surface of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) by the used modification techniques have been verified by the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy(FTIR). It has been found that the strength of the single lap joint was increased by 47% under tensile shear loading when treated with NO_x and compared with the parent joint strength without any chemical modification and further increase in strength was observed by Amination treatment over the joint surface.