Synergistic effects of basalt and carbon fibers on the physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of nylon composites

In the current study, the influence of short basalt fiber reinforcement (BF) (10–30 wt.%) and its hybridization with short carbon fiber (CF) as secondary reinforcement (5–10 wt.%) on the physical and thermomechanical characteristics of nylon 6 (N) were investigated. The BF and BF/CF hybrid nylon composites were prepared using melt blending in a twin-screw extruder, followed by the injection molding process. The control specimens (without reinforcements) were also prepared and tested for comparison. The density, strength (tensile, flexural, and impact), microhardness, and thermal degradation evaluations were executed as per the standards of ASTM. The results revealed that the basalt reinforcement in the nylon is beneficial in improving the thermomechanical properties. In particular, the composites containing 20 wt.% of BF show higher properties compared to the other BF composites and control matrix. Furthermore, the reinforcement of CF enhanced the properties of the composites due to their superior strength and stiffness. Specifically, the BF composites containing 10 wt.% of CF exhibit increases of 18.69 and 12.6% in tensile and flexural strengths, respectively, as well as enhancements of 11.06 and 23% in tensile and flexural modulus, respectively. The scanning electron microscopic images revealed a good interface adhesion compatibility between the fibers and the matrix.

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