Mechanic of Advanced and Smart Materials
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Crack improvement in aluminum alloy sheet using functionally graded nanocomposites of epoxy/graphene/clay as a repairing polymeric patch

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Hossein Khodaam 1
Alireza Nezamabadi 1
Mahdi Karami Khorramabadi 2
Saeed Jafari Mehrabadi 3
Peyman Yousefi 4

1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ar.C., Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran

2 Department of Mechanical engineering, Khorramabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khorramabad, Iran

3 Department of mechanical engineering, Islamic Azad University, Arak branch, Arak, Iran.

4 Department of Mechanical engineering, Arak branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran

10.66224/masm.2026.2095259.1194
Abstract
In the current study, an effort was made to produce functionally graded composites (FGC) of epoxy with graphene and clay nanoparticles (in addition to constant-composition composites). Then, FGC was prepared by hand layup of the four layers and then compression molding. FGC was made as a laminate structure such that the graphene percentage reduced from the upset layer to the lowest layer while the clay percentage increased from the upset layer to the lowest layer. Then, the effect of this type of change in the concentration of nanoparticles across the sample thickness on the composite properties was investigated and compared with the parent composites. The tensile test results showed that among the nanocomposites, optimal properties were observed in the 5% graphene- and 5% clay-contained samples. Thus, the FGC sample was made based on the 5 wt% and the best tensile characteristics was observed for this sample. The FGC also exhibited the best properties for repairing the cracked created in aluminum sheets as fatigue tests were shown. This research study exhibited that variety in nanoparticle graduation across nanocomposite thickness leads to a variety in FGCs with new properties.

Keywords

Epoxy
Graphene
Clay
Functionally graded composites
Fatigue test
Mechanic of Advanced and Smart Materials

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 29 September 2026

  • Receive Date 22 July 2026
  • Revise Date 26 September 2026
  • Accept Date 29 September 2026

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