The fiber laminate composites are extensively used in aerospace, aircraft, automotive components due to their high stiffness, corrosion, moisture resistance, low weight, and durability features. These fiber composites are modified with nanomaterials to acquire the desired manufacturing properties. The complex structure and anisotropic features differ from metals and their alloys. Additionally, the machining principles of fiber laminates significantly differ from conventional engineering materials. The present work investigates the machining behavior and permeates the damage generated while milling of graphene-modified carbon-fiber reinforced polymer nanocomposites (G/C@FRNC). The surface damages and defects caused in the milling samples have been examined through the high-resolution spectroscopy test. The influence of machining constraints such as cutting speed (N), feed rate (F), depth of cut (D), and graphene oxide weight % (GO) has been investigated to achieve the desired milling performances viz. material removal rate (MRR), cutting force (Fc), surface roughness (Ra), and delamination factor (F_d). The outcomes indicated that the cutting parameters and graphene nanomaterial prominently affects the milling responses. The addition of graphene improves the machinability of proposed nanocomposites with lesser defects generated. However, its higher addition can lead to the phenomenon of agglomeration that can reduce the machining efficiency. The damages and delamination generated in the machined sample are low at a higher cutting speed. This work suggests a new system to control the damage and defects to enhance the laminate samples’ quality and productivity.

The machining behavior of polymers is substantially different from metal and their alloys due to non-homogeneity and anisotropy. This article describes a hybrid optimization method during machining (milling) of epoxy nanocomposites reinforced by graphene oxide/carbon fiber (G/CF). The milling experimentation was staged according to the L₉ orthogonal array of the Taguchi theory. The control of process constraints, namely, cutting speed (V_c), feed (F), depth of cut (D), and G weight % (G) have been appraised to acquired the desired machining response such as material removal rate (MRR), cutting force ( F _c), and surface roughness ( R _a). Grey-coupled principal component analysis (grey-PCA) effectively tackled the response priority weight during aggregation of conflicting responses. The optimal condition secured by the grey-PCA module are found as V_c = 25.12 m/min, F = 240 mm/min, D = 0.5 mm, and G = 1 %. The supplement of graphene enhances the machining characteristics of the nanocomposites, which in turn, minimizes the damages that occur during the milling process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was conducted for microstructure investigation of the machined component. The findings of confirmatory experiments show good agreement with the actual ones. The preferred solution values of grey-PCA are observed as 1.027, which confirms the proposed technique’s higher practicability.

Hybrid composites, a cornerstone of modern engineering, have been the subject of a groundbreaking investigation. This research delves into the impact of changing the stacking configuration on the characteristics of glass and carbon configuration woven fabric-reinforced laminates. Fabricating different configurations of hybrid laminates using cost-effective hand layup techniques and their performance evaluation through uniaxial tensile test and flexural strength has yielded fascinating results. The tensile strength specimen was prepared as per ASTM D3039 and for flexural test ASTM D7264. The findings demonstrate that stacking laminate CGC has higher tensile strength (418.99 MPa) and flexural strength (342.99 MPa) than other stacking configurations of studied hybrid composites. Also, the fracture analysis evaluates using a high-resolution setup to comprehend the mechanism of failure interply hybrid composites. In addition, design and analytical analysis were done to analyze the tensile and flexural strength of different GC, GCG, and CGC stacking configurations. The finding demonstrates the feasibility of the CGC stacking configuration for load structural applications, marking a significant advancement in materials science and engineering.

This study demonstrates that incorporating graphene oxide and carbon fiber into the epoxy matrix enhances the material's physical and mechanical properties for structural applications. Using a cost-effective hand lay-up method, nanocomposite samples were prepared with graphene oxide at 1, 2, and 3 wt%. The uniform distribution of nanoparticles indicates the formation of peaks and the presence of elemental groups, as demonstrated by X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared analyses. Graphene oxide loading increases tensile strength and modulus by 33.02% and 19.427%, respectively, compared with the pristine sample. Similarly, the flexural strength and modulus improved by 34.481% and 28.241%, respectively, compared with unloaded polymer samples. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to investigate the failure mechanisms of the fractured surfaces of the nanocomposite specimens. Further, the viscoelastic, fire-retardant, and water-absorbent performance of the developed composite was evaluated. Loading graphene oxide significantly enhances the sample's physio-mechanical performance required for structural applications.