An experimental investigation on the effect of ultraviolet aging on tensile and flexural properties of nanoparticle reinforced carbon/aramid composites

Abstract The purpose of this work is to examine how ultraviolet (UV) aging affects polymer-based hybrid intraply carbon/aramid fabrics reinforced with varying nanoparticle concentrations (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0 wt%). The composites were subjected to UV exposure for 250 and 500 h, after which their mechanical properties were evaluated using tensile and flexural tests. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to evaluate fracture morphologies. The outcomes indicated that both tensile and bending strength values increased after each UV aging period. Furthermore, the increase in mechanical strength was more significant with prolonged UV exposure. Notably, nanoparticle-free composites exhibited a more pronounced UV effect compared to nanoparticle-reinforced composites. These findings suggest that nanoparticle reinforcement enhances the UV resistance and mechanical performance of polymer-based intraply carbon-aramid composites.