Effect of fire-retardant ceram powder on the properties of phenolic-based GFRP composites

This paper investigated the effect of ceram powder on the properties of composite laminates based on glass fibres and phenolic resin. The amount of ceram in the polymer matrix was varied between 30% and 50% of the weight of resin. The density, void ratio, tensile strength, interlaminar shear strength, bond strength, bending modulus and glass transition temperature were studied, and the effect of ceram on these properties was assessed. A systemic decision-making strategy is applied to evaluate the optimal amount of ceram in the polymer matrix. Results showed that while the increase of ceram decreased the strength properties of the composite laminates, the bulk density and bending modulus increased. Moreover, the glass transition temperature increased by 32 °C with the addition of 50% (by weight of resin) ceram powder. The strategic decision-making approach suggested that a good balance of physical, mechanical, and thermos-mechanical properties can be achieved when ceram is added at a fraction of 50% of the weight of resin, and this amount is considered as optimal for designing laminated fibre composites.