Composite material and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a composite material and a preparation method thereof. The composite material comprises the following components in parts by mass: 110-174 parts of a matrix component and 5-31 parts of a reinforcing component, the matrix component comprises epoxy resin, and the mass fraction of the epoxy resin accounts for 49.8%-80.2% of the mass fraction of the matrix component; the reinforcing component comprises modified hollow glass beads and modified carbon fibers, and the mass part ratio of the modified hollow glass beads to the modified carbon fibers is 0.12-5. In the composite material, the epoxy resin is used as a matrix component of the composite material and provides high crosslinking density, so that the composite material has high rigidity and chemical corrosion resistance. Reinforcing components in the composite material comprise modified hollow glass beads and modified carbon fibers, the modified hollow glass beads can reduce the fluidity of the composite material in the preparation process of the composite material, the overall density of the composite material is reduced, light weight of the composite material is achieved, and the modified carbon fibers have the advantages of light weight and high strength. The mechanical strength of the composite material can be enhanced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of composite materials, and in particular to a composite material and a preparation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous advancement of science and technology and the rapid development of industry, the field of materials science is undergoing a profound transformation. Modern engineering places increasingly stringent demands on material performance, especially in high-end applications such as aerospace, automotive manufacturing, and construction engineering. Properties such as light weight, high strength, corrosion resistance, and high-temperature resistance have become key factors in evaluating the quality of materials. Traditional structural materials such as metals and ordinary plastics, while excellent in some aspects, often struggle to meet the demanding performance standards of these demanding applications. Therefore, the research and development of new high-performance composite materials has become a hot topic in current materials science research. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To solve the problems existing in the related art, the present disclosure provides a composite material and a preparation method thereof.

[0004] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a composite material is provided, comprising the following components in parts by mass:

[0005] 110 to 174 parts of matrix component,

[0006] 5 to 31 parts of reinforcing component;

[0007] The matrix component includes epoxy resin, and the mass fraction of the epoxy resin accounts for 49.8% to 80.2% of the mass fraction of the matrix component; the reinforcing component includes modified hollow glass microspheres and modified carbon fibers, and the mass fraction ratio of the modified hollow glass microspheres to the modified carbon fibers is 0.12 to 5.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the ratio of the sum of the mass fractions of the modified hollow glass microspheres and the modified carbon fibers to the mass fraction of the epoxy resin is 1.5 to 35.6%.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the matrix component further includes a curing agent and a toughening agent, and the ratio of the sum of the mass fractions of the curing agent and the toughening agent to the mass fraction of the epoxy resin is 28.9 to 65.3%.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the modified hollow glass microspheres and the modified carbon fibers are modified with a coupling agent;

[0011] The coupling agent includes at least one of a silane coupling agent and an aluminate coupling agent.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the epoxy resin includes bisphenol A epoxy resin and bisphenol F epoxy resin; in the epoxy resin, the mass ratio of the bisphenol A epoxy resin to the bisphenol F epoxy resin is 3:7 to 7:3.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the curing agent includes at least one of triethylenetetramine, tetraethylenepentamine, and pentaethylenehexamine;

[0014] The toughening agent includes at least one of phthalate esters and fatty acid esters.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the composite material includes the following components in parts by weight:

[0016]

[0017] According to a second aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for preparing a composite material is provided, the method comprising:

[0018] Providing a first mixed system; the first mixed system includes a matrix component, the matrix component includes an epoxy resin, and the mass fraction of the epoxy resin accounts for 49.8% to 80.2% of the mass fraction of the matrix component;

[0019] dispersing a reinforcing component in the first mixed system at a second preset temperature to obtain a second mixed system; the reinforcing component includes modified hollow glass microspheres and modified carbon fibers, and the mass ratio of the modified hollow glass microspheres to the modified carbon fibers is 0.12 to 5;

[0020] The second mixed system is placed in a molding die for curing and molding to obtain the composite material.

[0021] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the preparation method further comprises:

[0022] Carbon fibers and hollow glass microspheres in a preset ratio are placed in a coupling agent solution and modified under preset conditions to obtain the modified carbon fibers and the modified hollow glass microspheres respectively; the concentration of the coupling agent solution is 3-7%.

[0023] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the coupling agent in the coupling agent solution includes at least one of a silane coupling agent and an aluminate coupling agent; when the coupling agent includes the silane coupling agent and the aluminate coupling agent, the mass ratio of the silane coupling agent to the aluminate coupling agent is 1:2 to 2:1.

[0024] The beneficial effects of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to: in the composite material provided by the present disclosure, the epoxy resin, as the matrix component of the composite material, provides a high crosslinking density, which can make the composite material have high rigidity and chemical corrosion resistance. The reinforcing components in the composite material include modified hollow glass microspheres and modified carbon fibers. The modified hollow glass microspheres can reduce the fluidity of the composite material during the preparation process of the composite material, thereby improving the machinability of the composite material. The modified hollow glass microspheres can also significantly reduce the overall density of the composite material, thereby achieving lightweight composite material. The modified carbon fibers have both lightweight and high strength, and can enhance the mechanical strength of the composite material.

[0025] It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, are used to explain the principles of the embodiments of the present disclosure. In these drawings, similar reference numerals are used to represent similar elements. The drawings described below are some embodiments of the present disclosure, not all embodiments. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be derived from these drawings without inventive effort.

[0027] Figure 1 The figure is a schematic flow chart of a method for preparing a composite material according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments in the present disclosure and the features in the embodiments can be arbitrarily combined with each other.

[0029] Carbon fiber and hollow glass microspheres, key components of new composite materials, have attracted widespread attention for their exceptional performance. Carbon fiber, with its exceptional strength, low density, and excellent corrosion resistance, has been widely used in aerospace, sports equipment, and high-performance automotive applications. Its strength is several times that of steel, yet its mass is only one-quarter, making it a leading lightweight, high-strength material. Hollow glass microspheres, on the other hand, play a vital role in construction, transportation, and other industrial sectors due to their excellent thermal insulation and lightweight properties.

[0030] Based on this, the present disclosure provides a composite material. The epoxy resin serves as the matrix component of the composite material, providing a high crosslinking density, which can impart high rigidity and chemical resistance to the composite material. The reinforcing components in the composite material include modified hollow glass microspheres and modified carbon fibers. The modified hollow glass microspheres can reduce the fluidity of the composite material during its preparation, improving its workability. The modified hollow glass microspheres can also significantly reduce the overall density of the composite material, achieving lightweighting. The modified carbon fibers combine lightweighting with high strength, enhancing the mechanical strength of the composite material.

[0031] An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a composite material comprising the following components by weight: 110 to 174 parts of a matrix component and 5 to 31 parts of a reinforcement component. The matrix component comprises an epoxy resin, with the epoxy resin accounting for 49.8% to 80.2% of the matrix component by weight; the reinforcement component comprises modified hollow glass microspheres and modified carbon fibers, with the ratio of the modified hollow glass microspheres to the modified carbon fibers being 0.12 to 5 parts by weight.

[0032] The composite material provided in this embodiment, wherein the epoxy resin serves as the matrix component of the composite material, provides a high crosslink density, and the mass fraction of the epoxy resin accounts for 49.8% to 80.2% of the mass fraction of the matrix component, which can make the composite material have high stiffness and chemical corrosion resistance. For example, the mass fraction of the epoxy resin to the mass fraction of the matrix component can be 49.8%, 65.0%, 72.3%, or 80.2%. The mass fraction of the epoxy resin to the mass fraction of the matrix component can also be any value between the exemplary proportions, for example, the mass fraction of the epoxy resin to the mass fraction of the matrix component can be any value between 55.0% and 72.3%.

[0033] The reinforcing components include modified hollow glass microspheres and modified carbon fibers. The modified hollow glass microspheres, due to their highly regular spherical structure, can act as "micro ball bearings" in epoxy resin, reducing mechanical inter-particle bite and frictional resistance between epoxy resin and other components, thereby reducing the fluidity of the composite material during the preparation process and improving the processability of the composite material. In addition, the modified hollow glass microspheres can significantly reduce the overall density of the composite material, achieving lightweight composite materials. The modified carbon fibers have both lightweight and high strength, and can enhance the mechanical strength of the composite material. The ratio of the mass fractions of the modified hollow glass microspheres and the modified carbon fibers is 0.12 to 5. For example, the ratio of the mass fractions of the modified hollow glass microspheres and the modified carbon fibers can be 0.12, 1, 1.5, 3, 3.5 or 5. The ratio of the mass fractions of the modified hollow glass microspheres and the modified carbon fibers can also be any value between the exemplary ratios. For example, the ratio of the mass fractions of the modified hollow glass microspheres and the modified carbon fibers can be any value between 1 and 3.5. Within the above-mentioned mass ratio range of the modified hollow glass microspheres and the modified carbon fibers, a balance between lightweight and high strength of the composite material can be ensured, and strength loss caused by excessive content of modified hollow glass microspheres can be avoided, or agglomeration caused by excessive content of modified carbon fibers can be avoided.

[0034] The composite material includes 110 to 174 parts of a matrix component and 5 to 31 parts of a reinforcement component, which can balance the stiffness and strength of the composite material. For example, the mass fraction of the matrix component can be 110 parts, 150 parts, or 174 parts, and the mass fraction of the matrix component can also be any value between the exemplary mass fractions, for example, the mass fraction of the matrix component can be any value between 120 and 164 parts. The mass fraction of the reinforcement component can be 5 parts, 15 parts, or 31 parts, and the mass fraction of the reinforcement component can also be any value between the exemplary mass fractions, for example, the mass fraction of the reinforcement component can be any value between 8 and 25 parts.

[0035] In an exemplary embodiment, the ratio of the sum of the mass fractions of the modified hollow glass microspheres and the modified carbon fibers to the mass fraction of the epoxy resin is 1.5 to 35.6%.

[0036] When the ratio of the mass fractions of the matrix component to the epoxy resin in the composite material is below 1.5%, the reinforcing effect of the reinforcing component on the composite material is not significant. When the ratio of the mass fractions of the matrix component to the epoxy resin in the composite material is above 35.6%, the epoxy resin is insufficient and cannot fully wrap the reinforcing component, which easily leads to interface defects and damages the strength of the composite material. Therefore, in this embodiment, the ratio of the sum of the mass fractions of the modified hollow glass microspheres and the modified carbon fibers to the mass fraction of the epoxy resin, that is, the mass fraction ratio of the matrix component to the epoxy resin in the composite material is limited to the range of 1.5 to 35.6%, which can ensure the reinforcing effect of the reinforcing component on the composite material. For example, the ratio of the sum of the mass fractions of the modified hollow glass microspheres and the modified carbon fibers to the mass fraction of the epoxy resin can be 1.5%, 18.5% or 35.6%, and the ratio of the sum of the mass fractions of the modified hollow glass microspheres and the modified carbon fibers to the mass fraction of the epoxy resin can also be any value between the exemplary ratios, for example, the ratio of the sum of the mass fractions of the modified hollow glass microspheres and the modified carbon fibers to the mass fraction of the epoxy resin can be any value between 6.5 and 30.0%.

[0037] In an exemplary embodiment, the matrix component further includes a curing agent and a toughening agent, and the ratio of the sum of the mass fractions of the curing agent and the toughening agent to the mass fraction of the epoxy resin is 28.9-65.3%.

[0038] The curing agent can ensure that the epoxy resin of the composite material is fully cured during the preparation process, and the toughening agent can be dispersed in the composite material to form an "island structure" to absorb impact energy when the composite material is impacted, thereby improving the impact resistance of the composite material. When the ratio of the sum of the mass parts of the curing agent and the toughening agent to the mass parts of the epoxy resin is too low, the composite material will not be completely cured during the preparation process, resulting in poor mechanical strength and high temperature resistance of the composite material. When the ratio of the sum of the mass parts of the curing agent and the toughening agent to the mass parts of the epoxy resin is too high, the epoxy resin content is low and the stiffness of the composite material cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, in this embodiment, the ratio of the sum of the mass parts of the curing agent and the toughening agent to the mass parts of the epoxy resin is limited to the range of 28.9% to 65.3%, which can balance the stiffness, mechanical strength and high temperature resistance of the composite material. For example, the ratio of the sum of the mass fractions of the curing agent and the toughening agent to the mass fraction of the epoxy resin can be 28.9%, 42.3% or 65.3%, and the ratio of the sum of the mass fractions of the curing agent and the toughening agent to the mass fraction of the epoxy resin can also be any value between the exemplary ratios, for example, the ratio of the sum of the mass fractions of the curing agent and the toughening agent to the mass fraction of the epoxy resin can be any value between 32.0 and 58.3%.

[0039] In an exemplary embodiment, the curing agent includes at least one of triethylenetetramine, tetraethylenepentamine, and pentaethylenehexamine, and the toughening agent includes at least one of phthalate ester and fatty acid ester.

[0040] Triethylenetetramine, tetraethylenepentamine, and pentaethylenehexamine, as curing agents, can enable curing at lower temperatures during the composite material preparation process, shortening the curing cycle and improving preparation efficiency. Furthermore, triethylenetetramine, tetraethylenepentamine, and pentaethylenehexamine as curing agents can increase the crosslinking density of the composite material, ensuring the stability of the composite material in high-temperature environments. Triethylenetetramine, tetraethylenepentamine, and pentaethylenehexamine can be used individually, simultaneously, or in combinations of two or more.

[0041] Phthalate esters and fatty acid esters dispersed in epoxy resins can reduce the resin's viscosity and improve its brittleness, thereby toughening it. This helps absorb impact energy when the composite material is impacted, improving the composite's impact resistance. Phthalate esters and fatty acid esters can be used alone or together.

[0042] In an exemplary embodiment, the modified hollow glass microspheres and the modified carbon fibers are modified by a coupling agent; the coupling agent includes at least one of a silane coupling agent and an aluminate coupling agent.

[0043] Silane coupling agents react chemically with the surfaces of hollow glass microspheres and carbon fibers to form chemical bonds, thereby improving the bond strength between the hollow glass microspheres and carbon fibers and the epoxy resin matrix. Aluminate coupling agents react with the carbon fiber surface to form aluminates and chemical bonds. Through the bridging effect of aluminum atoms, a continuous chemical bond phase of "carbon fiber-aluminate coupling agent-epoxy resin" is established, enhancing the interfacial compatibility between the carbon fibers and the epoxy resin matrix. Therefore, after hollow glass microspheres and carbon fibers are modified with silane coupling agents and aluminate coupling agents, the resulting modified hollow glass microspheres and modified carbon fibers exhibit excellent compatibility with the epoxy resin matrix and high bond strength, thereby ensuring the strength of the composite material.

[0044] In an exemplary embodiment, the epoxy resin includes bisphenol A epoxy resin and bisphenol F epoxy resin; in the epoxy resin, the mass ratio of bisphenol A epoxy resin to bisphenol F epoxy resin is 3:7 to 7:3.

[0045] A single epoxy resin may exhibit insufficient mechanical properties in practical applications, especially under high loads or complex environments. In this embodiment, a combination of epoxy resins is used, namely, a combination of bisphenol A epoxy resin and bisphenol F epoxy resin is used as the epoxy resin matrix. Bisphenol A epoxy resin has a higher crosslinking density, which can make the composite material have higher rigidity and higher heat resistance. Bisphenol F epoxy resin has a lower viscosity, which can improve the wettability of the epoxy resin to the reinforcing component during the preparation of the composite material, and can also make the reinforcing component evenly dispersed in the epoxy resin matrix, ensuring the homogeneity of the composite material. The mass ratio of bisphenol A epoxy resin to bisphenol F epoxy resin is controlled within the range of 3:7 to 7:3, for example, it can be 3:7, 1:2, 2:1 or 7:3. The mass ratio of bisphenol A epoxy resin to bisphenol F epoxy resin can also be any value between the exemplary ratios, for example, the mass ratio of bisphenol A epoxy resin to bisphenol F epoxy resin can be any value between 1:2 and 2:1. Within the above-mentioned mass ratio of bisphenol A epoxy resin to bisphenol F epoxy resin, the rigidity and heat resistance of the composite material and the uniformity of the epoxy resin in the infiltration and dispersion of the reinforcing components during its preparation can be balanced.

[0046] In an exemplary embodiment, the composite material includes the following components in parts by weight: 80-120 parts of epoxy resin, 25-45 parts of curing agent, 5-9 parts of toughening agent, 2-15 parts of modified hollow glass microspheres, and 3-16 parts of modified carbon fiber.

[0047] The composite material provided in this embodiment uses epoxy resin as the matrix component of the composite material, providing a high crosslinking density. Using 80 to 120 parts by mass of epoxy resin can make the composite material have high rigidity and chemical corrosion resistance. The modified hollow glass microspheres can reduce the fluidity of the composite material during the preparation process of the composite material, improve the processability of the composite material, and the modified hollow glass microspheres can also significantly reduce the overall density of the composite material, achieving lightweight composite material. The modified carbon fiber has both lightweight and high strength and can enhance the mechanical strength of the composite material. Using 2 to 15 parts by mass of modified hollow glass microspheres and 3 to 16 parts by mass of modified carbon fiber can ensure a balance between lightweight and high strength of the composite material, avoid the loss of strength caused by excessive content of modified hollow glass microspheres, or avoid agglomeration caused by excessive content of modified carbon fiber. The curing agent can ensure that the epoxy resin is fully cured during the preparation process of the composite material, and the toughening agent dispersed in the composite material can form an "island structure" that absorbs impact energy when the composite material is impacted, thereby improving the impact resistance of the composite material. Using 25 to 45 parts by weight of curing agent and 5 to 9 parts by weight of toughening agent can ensure complete curing during the composite material preparation process, ensuring the mechanical strength and high temperature resistance of the composite material, while avoiding the problem of poor composite material stiffness caused by too high a proportion of curing agent and toughening agent in the composite material and too little epoxy resin. Therefore, under the formula of 80 to 120 parts by weight of epoxy resin, 25 to 45 parts of curing agent, 5 to 9 parts of toughening agent, 2 to 15 parts of modified hollow glass microspheres, and 3 to 16 parts of modified carbon fiber, the composite material formed has high strength, stiffness and good heat resistance.

[0048] An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for preparing a composite material, such as Figure 1 As shown, the preparation method comprises:

[0049] S100, providing a first mixed system; the first mixed system includes a matrix component, the matrix component includes an epoxy resin, and the mass fraction of the epoxy resin accounts for 49.8% to 80.2% of the mass fraction of the matrix component.

[0050] In addition to the epoxy resin, the matrix component may also include a curing agent and a toughening agent. The epoxy resin may include bisphenol A epoxy resin and bisphenol F epoxy resin. The epoxy resin and curing agent may be heated and stirred in a water bath at 80°C for about 30 minutes according to the mass fractions in the above embodiment to ensure that the epoxy resin and curing agent are evenly mixed. The toughening agent is then added to the mixed system of epoxy resin and curing agent, and the mixture is heated and stirred at 80°C for 10 minutes to ensure that the curing agent and toughening agent are evenly dispersed in the epoxy resin to obtain a first mixed system. The mass fraction of epoxy resin accounts for 49.8% to 80.2% of the mass fraction of the matrix component, which can make the composite material have high stiffness and chemical corrosion resistance. For example, the mass fraction of epoxy resin can account for 49.8%, 65.0%, 72.3% or 80.2% of the mass fraction of the matrix component. The mass fraction of the epoxy resin to the mass fraction of the matrix component may also be any value between the exemplary proportions. For example, the mass fraction of the epoxy resin to the mass fraction of the matrix component may be any value between 55.0% and 72.3%.

[0051] S200, dispersing the reinforcing component in the first mixed system at a second preset temperature to obtain a second mixed system; the reinforcing component includes modified hollow glass microspheres and modified carbon fibers, and the mass ratio of the modified hollow glass microspheres to the modified carbon fibers is 0.12 to 5.

[0052] Modified hollow glass microspheres and modified carbon fibers are added to the first mixed system and stirred at a second preset temperature of 60°C for 4 to 5 hours to disperse the modified hollow glass microspheres and modified carbon fibers in the first mixed system to obtain a second mixed system. The modified hollow glass microspheres can reduce the fluidity of the composite material during the preparation of the composite material and improve the processability of the composite material. In particular, in processing processes such as injection molding and compression molding, the composite material can be more evenly distributed in the molding mold, reducing the generation of bubbles and defects. The modified hollow glass microspheres can also significantly reduce the overall density of the composite material, achieving lightweight composite materials. The modified carbon fibers have both lightweight and high strength and can enhance the mechanical strength of the composite material. The mass ratio of the modified hollow glass microspheres to the modified carbon fibers is 0.12 to 5. For example, the mass ratio of the modified hollow glass microspheres to the modified carbon fibers can be 0.12, 1, 1.5, 3, 3.5 or 5. The mass ratio of the modified hollow glass microspheres to the modified carbon fibers can also be any value between the exemplary ratios. For example, the mass ratio of the modified hollow glass microspheres to the modified carbon fibers can be any value between 1 and 3.5. Within the above-mentioned mass ratio range of the modified hollow glass microspheres to the modified carbon fibers, a balance between lightweight and high strength of the composite material can be ensured, and strength loss caused by excessive content of the modified hollow glass microspheres can be avoided, or agglomeration caused by excessive content of the modified carbon fibers can be avoided.

[0053] S300, placing the second mixed system in a molding die for curing and molding to obtain a composite material.

[0054] The second mixed system is placed in a molding mold, and can be cured for 12 hours at 120° C., for example, and then demoulded to obtain a composite material.

[0055] The preparation method of the composite material provided in this embodiment mixes and disperses the components to form a uniform mixed system, and then solidifies and forms it. The prepared composite material has both lightweight and high strength, and has good stiffness and heat resistance.

[0056] In an exemplary embodiment, the preparation method further includes: placing carbon fibers and hollow glass microspheres in a preset ratio in a coupling agent solution, and performing modification treatment under preset conditions to obtain modified carbon fibers and modified hollow glass microspheres, respectively; the concentration of the coupling agent solution is 3 to 7%.

[0057] Before dispersing the modified carbon fibers and the modified hollow glass microspheres in the first mixing system, a predetermined ratio of the carbon fibers and the hollow glass microspheres is determined based on the amounts of the modified carbon fibers and the modified hollow glass microspheres required to prepare the composite material. The predetermined ratio of the carbon fibers and the hollow glass microspheres is then placed in a coupling agent solution to modify the carbon fibers and the hollow glass microspheres to prepare the modified carbon fibers and the modified hollow glass microspheres. Hollow glass microspheres are inexpensive and readily available, and their use in preparing the composite material can reduce production costs. Among them, the carbon fiber can be T800-grade chopped carbon fiber with a length of 1 mm, and the chopped carbon fiber has a better dispersion effect in epoxy resin. The hollow glass microspheres can be hollow glass microspheres with particle sizes of 30 μm, 45 μm and 60 μm, and the three hollow glass microspheres with different particle sizes can be mixed and used in a certain proportion, for example, according to a ratio of 1:1:1, 2:7:1 or 1:2:3; two hollow glass microspheres with different particle sizes can also be used in combination, for example, according to a ratio of 1:1, 1:2 or 3:7, etc.; or only one hollow glass microsphere with one particle size can be used.

[0058] For example, a preset proportion of carbon fibers and hollow glass microspheres are placed in a coupling agent solution, soaked at 80°C for 5 hours to obtain modified carbon fibers and modified hollow glass microspheres, and the modified carbon fibers and modified hollow glass microspheres are taken out and dried in a vacuum drying oven at 80°C for 12 hours. The concentration of the coupling agent solution is 3 to 7%, for example, 3%, 4%, 6% or 7%, and the concentration of the coupling agent solution can also be any value between the exemplary concentrations, for example, the concentration of the coupling agent solution can be any value between 4 and 6%. Within the concentration range of the coupling agent solution, the coupling agent can be ensured to completely cover the carbon fibers and hollow glass microspheres without wasting too much coupling agent.

[0059] In an exemplary embodiment, the coupling agent in the coupling agent solution includes at least one of a silane coupling agent and an aluminate coupling agent; when the coupling agent includes a silane coupling agent and an aluminate coupling agent, the mass ratio of the silane coupling agent to the aluminate coupling agent is 1:2 to 2:1.

[0060] Anhydrous ethanol can be used as the solvent for the coupling agent solution. At least one of the silane coupling agent and the aluminate coupling agent is diluted with anhydrous ethanol at 50° C. and stirred for 20 minutes to obtain a coupling agent solution. When the coupling agent includes a silane coupling agent and an aluminate coupling agent, that is, when the coupling agent is a composite coupling agent, the weight ratio of the silane coupling agent to the aluminate coupling agent is 1:2 to 2:1, for example, 1:2, 1:1, or 2:1. The weight ratio of the silane coupling agent to the aluminate coupling agent can also be any value between the exemplary ratios, for example, the weight ratio of the silane coupling agent to the aluminate coupling agent can be any value between 1:1 and 1.5:1. Within the above-mentioned mass fraction ratio range of the silane coupling agent and the aluminate coupling agent, the modified hollow glass microspheres and modified carbon fibers formed after modification by the coupling agent have good compatibility with the epoxy resin matrix and high bonding strength, thereby ensuring the overall mechanical properties of the composite material, especially having better performance in load transfer and flexural strength.

[0061] In order to more clearly explain the technical solution provided by the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a specific example of preparing the composite material provided by the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure by using the method for preparing the composite material provided by the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is given.

[0062] First, heat and stir the epoxy resin and curing agent in a water bath at 80°C for approximately 30 minutes according to the mass fractions described in the above example to ensure uniform mixing of the epoxy resin and curing agent. Then, add the toughening agent to the mixed system of epoxy resin and curing agent, and continue heating and stirring at 80°C for 10 minutes to ensure that the curing agent and toughening agent are evenly dispersed in the epoxy resin, thereby obtaining a first mixed system.

[0063] The silane coupling agent and the aluminate coupling agent are diluted with anhydrous ethanol and stirred at 50°C for 20 minutes to obtain a coupling agent solution with a concentration of 3-7%. The carbon fibers and hollow glass microspheres in a preset ratio are placed in the coupling agent solution and soaked at 80°C for 5 hours to obtain modified carbon fibers and modified hollow glass microspheres. The modified carbon fibers and modified hollow glass microspheres are then taken out and dried in a vacuum drying oven at 80°C for 12 hours.

[0064] The modified carbon fibers and modified hollow glass microspheres are added to the first mixed system and stirred at a second preset temperature of 60°C for 4-5 hours to disperse the modified hollow glass microspheres and modified carbon fibers in the first mixed system, thereby obtaining a second mixed system. During stirring, bubbles should be avoided to ensure a dense structure of the composite material.

[0065] The second mixed system was placed in a molding mold, cured at 120° C. for 12 hours, and then demolded to obtain a composite material.

[0066] Composite materials were prepared in Examples 1-14 by adjusting the content of each component according to the preparation method described in the above specific examples. The composite materials prepared in Examples 1-14 were then subjected to wire cutting to obtain 10 mm × 10 mm × 4 mm bending specimens and Ø20 mm × 20 mm compression specimens. The composite materials of Examples 1-14 were then tested for flexural strength, flexural modulus, compressive strength, and compression modulus, respectively, in accordance with the flexural test standard GB / T 9341-2008 and the compression test standard GB / T 41955-2022. See Table 1 for details.

[0067] Table 1

[0068]

[0069]

[0070] Table 1 (continued)

[0071]

[0072] As can be seen from Table 1, by using the preparation method of the composite material provided by the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure and controlling the amount of each component within an appropriate range, the composite material prepared has good bending and compression properties.

[0073] The contents described above can be implemented individually or in combination in various ways, and these variations are all within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0074] Finally, it should be noted that in this article, the terms "comprises", "includes" or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or apparatus that includes a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also includes other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements that are inherent to such process, method, article or apparatus.

[0075] The above embodiments are intended only to illustrate the technical solutions of the present disclosure and are not intended to limit them. Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they may modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments or replace some of the technical features therein with equivalents; and such modifications or replacements do not deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A composite material, characterized in that The composite material comprises the following components in parts by mass: 110 to 174 parts of matrix component, 5 to 31 parts of reinforcing component; The matrix component includes epoxy resin, and the mass fraction of the epoxy resin accounts for 49.8% to 80.2% of the mass fraction of the matrix component; the reinforcing component includes modified hollow glass microspheres and modified carbon fibers, and the mass fraction ratio of the modified hollow glass microspheres to the modified carbon fibers is 0.12 to 5.

2. The composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that The ratio of the sum of the mass fractions of the modified hollow glass microspheres and the modified carbon fibers to the mass fraction of the epoxy resin is 1.5 to 35.6%.

3. The composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that The matrix component further comprises a curing agent and a toughening agent, and the ratio of the sum of the mass fractions of the curing agent and the toughening agent to the mass fraction of the epoxy resin is 28.9-65.3%.

4. The composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that The modified hollow glass microspheres and the modified carbon fibers are modified with a coupling agent; The coupling agent includes at least one of a silane coupling agent and an aluminate coupling agent.

5. The composite material according to claim 1, characterized in that The epoxy resin includes bisphenol A epoxy resin and bisphenol F epoxy resin; in the epoxy resin, the mass ratio of the bisphenol A epoxy resin to the bisphenol F epoxy resin is 3:7 to 7:

3.

6. The composite material according to claim 3, characterized in that The curing agent includes at least one of triethylenetetramine, tetraethylenepentamine and pentaethylenehexamine; The toughening agent includes at least one of phthalate esters and fatty acid esters.

7. The composite material according to claim 3, characterized in that The composite material comprises the following components in parts by mass:

8. A method for preparing a composite material, characterized in that: The preparation method comprises: Providing a first mixed system; the first mixed system includes a matrix component, the matrix component includes an epoxy resin, and the mass fraction of the epoxy resin accounts for 49.8% to 80.2% of the mass fraction of the matrix component; dispersing a reinforcing component in the first mixed system at a second preset temperature to obtain a second mixed system; the reinforcing component includes modified hollow glass microspheres and modified carbon fibers, and the mass ratio of the modified hollow glass microspheres to the modified carbon fibers is 0.12 to 5; The second mixed system is placed in a molding die for curing and molding to obtain the composite material.

9. The method for preparing a composite material according to claim 8, characterized in that: The preparation method further comprises: Carbon fibers and hollow glass microspheres in a preset ratio are placed in a coupling agent solution and modified under preset conditions to obtain the modified carbon fibers and the modified hollow glass microspheres respectively; the concentration of the coupling agent solution is 3-7%.

10. The method for preparing a composite material according to claim 9, characterized in that: The coupling agent in the coupling agent solution includes at least one of a silane coupling agent and an aluminate coupling agent; when the coupling agent includes the silane coupling agent and the aluminate coupling agent, the mass ratio of the silane coupling agent to the aluminate coupling agent is 1:2 to 2:1.

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