NIT Rourkela Patents Graphene-Reinforced FRP Composite Technology

Updated on August 17, 2026 • 5 min read

Researchers at India’s National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela have secured Indian Patent No. 596943 for a manufacturing technology designed to improve the mechanical performance and damage tolerance of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites.

Developed at the FRP Composite Lab in NIT Rourkela’s Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, the technology combines glass fiber-reinforced epoxy with graphene nanoplatelets aligned through the thickness of the composite.

Laboratory testing reported improvements in tensile and flexural properties, interlaminar shear strength and fracture toughness, pointing to potential applications in aerospace, automotive, wind energy, pressure vessels and marine structures.

Tackling Through-Thickness Weakness in FRP Composites

FRP composites offer high specific strength, corrosion resistance and fatigue performance, which has supported their adoption across aircraft, launch vehicles, transportation, renewable energy and pressure-vessel applications.

However, laminated composites can be vulnerable to damage between individual layers. Cracking and delamination can develop under mechanical loading and reduce the long-term integrity of a component.

The NIT Rourkela researchers approached this problem by introducing reinforcement through the material’s thickness rather than relying solely on the conventional in-plane fiber architecture.

Their resulting three-dimensional reinforced composite combines glass fibers, graphene nanoplatelets and an epoxy matrix.

According to the research team, aligning the graphene nanoplatelets through the thickness creates a more effective internal reinforcement structure and improves interaction between the constituent materials.

Electric Field Aligns Graphene During Curing

A notable aspect of the patented technology is how the graphene nanoplatelets are incorporated and oriented.

The researchers use unmodified graphene nanoplatelets within a glass fiber/epoxy composite and apply a standard 50-Hz alternating-current electric field at 800 volts during curing.

The electric field is used to align the graphene nanoplatelets through the thickness of the laminate.

Importantly for eventual industrial adoption, the researchers say the modified process remains compatible with commonly used composite manufacturing methods.

Rather than replacing the underlying FRP production route entirely, the technology introduces an additional reinforcement mechanism during manufacturing.

Tests Show 53% Increase in Mode-II Fracture Toughness

Laboratory-scale testing conducted according to ASTM standards showed improvements across several mechanical properties.

The research team reported a 37% increase in tensile strength and a 30% increase in flexural strength.

Flexural modulus increased by 63%, while tensile modulus improved by 26%.

The technology also produced a 24% improvement in interlaminar shear strength, a property particularly relevant to the behavior of laminated composite structures.

Fracture testing showed a 33% increase in Mode-I fracture toughness and a 53% increase in Mode-II fracture toughness.

In addition, storage modulus at 40°C increased by 55%.

Taken together, the results indicate that the graphene reinforcement affects not only the laminate’s strength and stiffness but also its resistance to interlaminar damage.

Aerospace, Wind Blades and Pressure Vessels Among Potential Uses

Dr. Rajesh Kumar Prusty, assistant professor at NIT Rourkela, identifies several potential applications where lightweight construction must be combined with damage tolerance.

These include aircraft panels, automotive crash structures, wind turbine blades, pressure vessels and marine structures.

Such applications already make extensive use of fiber-reinforced composites, but their loading conditions and service environments can make resistance to cracking and delamination particularly important.

The research was conducted by Prusty; Prof. Bankim Chandra Ray and research scholar Parimal Jana of NIT Rourkela; and Dr. Dinesh Kumar Rathore from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur.

Next Step Is Larger Composite Structures

Securing the patent represents one stage in moving the technology beyond laboratory development.

The researchers now plan to investigate its performance in larger structural components and evaluate long-term durability under environmental exposure.

Technology licensing and collaboration with industrial partners are also planned as the team explores potential commercialization.

The next development phase will be important in determining whether the mechanical-property improvements demonstrated at laboratory scale can be maintained when the process is applied to larger and more complex composite structures.

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