Synergistic Enhancement of Impact Strength in Epoxy‐Based <scp>GFRP</scp> Nanocomposites Through Simultaneous Reinforcement of Nanoclays Having Diverse Morphologies

ABSTRACT This research investigates the synergistic effect of combining two morphologically distinct nanoclays (plate‐type Montmorillonite “PGV” and tube‐type Kaolin “HNT”) in epoxy‐based glass fiber reinforced polymer composites (GFRPs) to enhance mechanical performance. The total nanoclay content was maintained at 2 parts per hundred resin (phr), with one nanoclay serving as primary filler and the other as secondary filler at varying concentrations (0.25–0.75 phr). The addition of HNT nanoclay as a secondary filler (0.5 phr) to GFRPs containing PGV (1.5 phr) yielded maximum improvements: 72.92% in tensile modulus, 37.50% in tensile strength, 16.58% in elongation, and 21.70% in impact strength compared to clay‐free samples. XRD confirmed uniform nano‐scale distribution, while TEM revealed synergistic interaction between nanoclays. The enhancement in mechanical properties was attributed to HNT tubes acting as spacers between PGV platelets, promoting improved dispersion. SEM analysis provided insights into the relationship between nanoclay morphology and impact resistance mechanisms.