viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER NO. TITLE PAGE NO.

ABSTRACT v
LIST OF TABLES xviii
LIST OF FIGURES xxiii
LIST OF SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS xxxii

1 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 OVERVIEW 1
1.2 INTRODUCTION 1
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE THESIS 4
1.4 LITERATURE SURVEY 5
1.4.1 Wind Electric Generator 5
1.4.2 Glass Fibre Composites 12
1.4.3 Carbon Fibre Composites 21
1.4.4 Optimization 29
1.5 OUTLINE OF THE THESIS 33
1.6 SUMMARY 35

2 EXPERIMENTAL 36
2.1 OVERVIEW 36
2.2 MATERIALS 36
2.3 FABRICATION OF COMPOSITES 41
2.3.1 SiC Filled Silane Treated Epoxy
Matrix Composites 41
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2.3.1.1 Optical microscopic images

of unfilled and SiC filled epoxy 43
2.3.2 SiC Filled Silane Treated Isoresin
Matrix Composites 45
2.3.3 GF Reinforced in Silane Treated
Epoxy Matrix with/without SiC Filler 45
2.3.4 GF Reinforced in Silane Treated
Isoresin Matrix with/without SiC Filler 49
2.3.5 CF Reinforced in Silane Treated
Epoxy Matrix with/without SiC Filler 50
2.3.6 CF Reinforced in Silane Treated
Isoresin Matrix with/without SiC 50
2.3.7 Designation of the Composites 50
2.4 TEST METHODS 53
2.4.1 Tensile Test 53
2.4.1.1 Composites without fibre 53
2.4.1.2 Composites with fibre 54
2.4.1.2.1 Loading direction
for tensile tests 55
2.4.2 Flexural Test 57
2.4.2.1 Composites without fibre 57
2.4.2.2 Composites with fibre 58
2.4.2.2.1 Loading direction
for flexural tests 59
2.4.3 Impact Strength 61
2.4.3.1 Loading direction for
impact test 62
2.4.4 Density 63
2.4.5 Hardness 63
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2.4.6 Water Absorption 64

2.5 CHAPTER SUMMARY 65

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 66

3.1 OVERVIEW 66
3.2 SiC FILLED SILANE TREATED EPOXY
MATRIX COMPOSITES 66
3.2.1 Tensile Strength 68
3.2.2 Flexural Strength 69
3.2.3 Impact Strength 70
3.2.4 Hardness 71
3.2.5 Density 73
3.2.6 Water Absorption 74
3.3 SiC FILLED SILANE TREATED ISORESIN
MATRIX COMPOSITES 74
3.3.1 Tensile Strength 75
3.3.2 Flexural Strength 76
3.3.3 Impact Strength 77
3.3.4 Hardness 78
3.3.5 Density 79
3.3.6 Water Absorption 80
3.4 GF REINFORCED SILANE TREATED
EPOXY MATRIX COMPOSITES WITH/
WITHOUT SiC FILLER 81
3.4.1 Tensile Strength 83
3.4.2 Flexural Strength 84
3.4.3 Impact Strength 85
3.4.4 Hardness 86
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3.4.5 Density 87
3.4.6 Water Absorption 88
3.5 TENSILE TEST ANALYSIS OF GF
REINFORCED SILANE TREATED EPOXY
MATRIX COMPOSITES WITH 10 WT. %
SiC FILLER 89
3.6 GF REINFORCED SILANE TREATED
ISORESIN MATRIX COMPOSITES
WITH/WITHOUT SiC FILLER 90
3.6.1 Tensile Strength 93
3.6.2 Flexural Strength 93
3.6.3 Impact Strength 94
3.6.4 Hardness 95
3.6.5 Density 96
3.6.6 Water Absorption 97
3.7 TENSILE TEST ANALYSIS OF GF
REINFORCED SILANE TREATED
ISORESIN MATRIX COMPOSITE
WITH 10 WT. % SiC FILLER 98
3.8 CF REINFORCED SILANE TREATED
EPOXY MATRIX COMPOSITES WITH/
WITHOUT SiC FILLER 99
3.8.1 Tensile Strength 102
3.8.2 Flexural Strength 103
3.8.3 Impact Strength 104
3.8.4 Hardness 105
3.8.5 Density 105
3.8.6 Water Absorption 106
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3.9 TENSILE TEST ANALYSIS OF CF

REINFORCED SILANE TREATED EPOXY
MATRIX COMPOSITE WITHOUT SiC FILLER 107
3.10 CF REINFORCED ISORESIN MATRIX
COMPOSITES WITH/WITHOUT SICFILLER 108
3.10.1 Tensile Strength 111
3.10.2 Flexural Strength 112
3.10.3 Impact Strength 113
3.10.4 Hardness 114
3.10.5 Density 114
3.10.6 Water Absorption 115
3.11 TENSILE TEST ANALYSIS OF CF
REINFORCED SILANE TREATED
ISORESIN MATRIX COMPOSITE
WITHOUT SiC FILLER 116
3.12 AVERAGE TEST RESULT OF VARIOUS
PARAMETERS FOR DIFFERENT GF/CF
COMPOSITES IN EPOXY/ISORESIN MATRIX 117
3.13 FRACTOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS 119
3.13.1 The FESEM Micrographs of GF Reinforced
Epoxy Composite without SiC Filler
which Failed due to Flexural Load 119
3.13.1.1 The SEM micrographs of
GF reinforced silane treated
epoxy matrix composite without
SiC filler which failed due to
flexural load 120
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3.13.2 SEM Micrographs of GF Reinforced

Silane treated Epoxy Matrix Composite
with 5 wt. % SiC Filler which Failed
due to Flexural Load 121
3.13.3 The FESEM Micrographs of GF
Reinforced Epoxy Matrix Composite
with 10wt. % SiC Filler which Failed
due to Flexural Load 123
3.13.3.1 SEM micrographs of GF
reinforced silane treated epoxy
matrix composite with 10wt. %
SiC filler which failed due to
flexural load 124
3.13.4 The FESEM Micrographs of GF
Reinforced Isoresin Matrix Composite
without SiC Filler which Failed due to
Flexural Load 124
3.13.4.1 SEM micrographs of
GF reinforced silane treated
isoresin matrix composite
without filler which failed
due to flexural load 126
3.13.5 The FESEM Micrographs of GF Reinforced
Isoresin Matrix Composite with 5 wt. %
SiC which Failed due to Flexural Load 127
3.13.5.1 SEM micrographs of GF
reinforced silane treated isoresin
matrix composite with 5wt. %
SiC filler which failed due to
flexural load 129
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3.13.6 SEM Micrographs of GF Reinforced

Silane treated Isoresin Matrix Composite
with 10wt. % SiC Filler which Failed
due to Flexural Load 130
3.13.7 The FESEM Micrographs of CF
Reinforced Epoxy Matrix Composites
without SiC Filler which Failed due to
Flexural Load 132
3.13.7.1 SEM micrographs of CF reinforced
silane treated epoxy matrix
composite without SiC filler
which failed due to flexural load 133
3.13.8 The FESEM Micrographs of CF
Reinforced Epoxy Matrix Composites
with 5 wt. % SiC Filler which Failed
due to Flexural Load 134
3.13.8.1 SEM micrographs of CF
reinforced silane treated epoxy
matrix composite with 5 wt. %
SiC filler which failed due to
flexural load 135
3.13.9 The FESEM Micrographs of CF
Reinforced Epoxy Matrix Composites
with 10wt. % SiC Filler which Failed
due to Flexural Load 137
3.13.9.1 SEM micrographs of CF
reinforced silane treated epoxy
matrix composite with 10wt. %
SiC filler which failed due to
flexural load 138
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3.13.10 The FESEM Micrographs of CF

Reinforced Isoresin Matrix Composites
without SiC Filler which Failed due to
Flexural Load 139
3.13.10.1 SEM micrographs of CF
reinforced silane treated isoresin
matrix composite without filler
which failed due to flexural load140
3.13.11 The FESEM Micrographs of CF
Reinforced Isoresin Matrix Composites
with 5 wt.% of SiC Filler which Failed
due to Flexural Load 142
3.13.11.1 SEM micrographs of CF
reinforced silane treated isoresin
matrix composite with 5wt. %
SiC filler which failed due to
flexural load 143
3.13.12 SEM micrographs of CF reinforced
Silane treated Isoresin Matrix Composite
with 10wt. % SiC filler which Failed
due to Flexural Load 144
3.11 SUMMARY 146

4 OPTIMIZATION 147
4.1 OVERVIEW 147
4.2 OPTIMIZATION OF COMPOSITES USING
RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY 147
4.2.1 Statistical Analysis 147
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4.2.2 Softwares used in Optimization 148

4.2.3 Central Composite Design Matrix 148
4.2.4 Evaluation of Composites Synthesised
in Silane Treated Epoxy Matrix 149
4.2.4.1 Influences on tensile strength 150
4.2.4.2 Influences on flexural strength 153
4.2.4.3 Influences on impact strength 157
4.2.4.4 Influences on hardness 160
4.2.4.5 Influences on density 164
4.2.4.6 Influences on water absorption 167
4.2.4.7 Inference from optimization
of epoxy matrix composites 171
4.2.5 Evaluation of Composites Synthesised
in Silane Treated Isoresin Matrix 172
4.2.5.1 Influences on tensile strength 173
4.2.5.2 Influences on flexural strength 176
4.2.5.3 Influences on impact strength 180
4.2.5.4 Influences on hardness 183
4.2.5.5 Influences on density 187
4.2.5.6 Influences on water absorption 190
4.2.5.7 Inference from optimization of
isoresin matrix composites 194
4.2.6 Conclusion from Optimization 195
4.3 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS 196
4.3.1 NACA 4412 Blade Profile Creation 196
4.3.2 NACA 4412 Blade Profile Modeling 199
4.3.3 Boundary Conditions 201
4.3.4 Free Vibration Analysis 201
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4.3.5 Blade Response for Specific Loads 203

4.4 CHAPTER SUMMARY 204

5 CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK 205

5.1 CONCLUSION 205
5.2 FUTURE WORK 206

APPENDIX 207

REFERENCES 209

LIST OF PUBLICATIONS 218