Effect of Water on Bending Strength for Epoxy Reinforced with Particles by Using Cantilever Bending Test

Abstract

This research includes the study of bending strength for the polymer composite materials. The first of all, the hand lay-up technology is used to prepare slates of the composite materials, epoxy resin was used as matrix for the reinforced materials that consist of artificial powders (aluminum oxide and copper) for reinforcing. The slates made of composite materials for both volume fractions 20% and 40% from the reinforced materials; all these slates were cut into samples with measurement (10x 100 mm) in order to carry out the bending strength test for samples by using cantilever bending test for both volume fractions 20% and 40%. The results and laboratory examinations for these samples shows increase in the bending strength and modulus of elasticity for composite materials when the volume fraction increase from 20% to 40% for reinforced materials, and these values decrease when the samples were immersion in distilled water for (30) days.