Influence of silane coupling agents on interlaminar fracture in glass fibre fabric reinforced unsaturated polyester laminates

The relationship between the adhesive properties of the interphase of glass fibre/resin and the resultant composite Mode I delamination fracture toughness in glass fibre fabric laminate (GFFL) was studied. The Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of GFFL was obtained by using a double cantilever beam (DCB) specimen. The delamination resistance of GFFLs which have two silane coupling agents and three concentration finishes is discussed on the basis of interlaminar fracture toughness. The crack propagation behaviour of DCB testing was mainly divided into stable and unstable manners. The fracture toughness and the crack propagation behaviour were dependent on the types and concentration of silane coupling agents.     

Influence of adsorption behaviour of a silane coupling agent on interlaminar fracture in glass fibre fabric-reinforced unsaturated polyester laminates

The relationship between the interphase consisting of physisorbed and chemisorbed silane on glass fibres and the resultant composite Mode I delamination fracture toughness in glass fibre fabric laminate, was studied. The Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of the laminate specimen was obtained by using a double cantilever beam (DCB) specimen. The delamination resistance of the laminate specimen finished with two silane concentrations and washed in methanol solvent, is discussed on the basis of the interlaminar fracture toughness. In order to determine the amount of physisorbed and chemisorbed silane on the glass fibre, the amount of total carbon was determined using an analysis instrument. The physisorbed silane migrated into the resin matrix and influenced the mechanical properties and interlaminar fracture of the laminate specimen. The amount of unsaturated polyester resin blended with a silane coupling agent was measured using dynamic mechanical spectroscopy, and a DCB specimen for mechanical properties and fracture toughness.     

Mode I and mode II fracture toughness of E-glass non-crimp fabric/carbon nanotube (CNT) modified polymer based composites

In this study, mode I and mode II interlaminar fracture toughness, and interlaminar shear strength of E-glass non-crimp fabric/carbon nanotube modified polymer matrix composites were investigated. The matrix resin containing 0.1 wt.% of amino functionalized multi walled carbon nanotubes were prepared, utilizing the 3-roll milling technique. Composite laminates were manufactured via vacuum assisted resin transfer molding process. Carbon nanotube modified laminates were found to exhibit 8% and 11% higher mode II interlaminar fracture toughness and interlaminar shear strength values, respectively, as compared to the base laminates. However, no significant improvement was observed for mode I interlaminar fracture toughness values. Furthermore, Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were utilized to monitor the distribution of carbon nanotubes within the composite microstructure and to examine the fracture surfaces of the failed specimens, respectively.     

Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness of composite laminates interleaved with electrospun nanofibre veils

In this study, the effects of interleaved nanofibre veils on the Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness (ILFT) of autoclave cured unidirectional carbon/epoxy composite laminates were investigated. Various electrospun nanofibre veils consisting of a range of different polymer types, fibre diameters and veil architectures were placed in the laminate mid-planes, which were subsequently subjected to double cantilever beam and end-notch flexure tests. It was found that the polymer type and veil areal weight were the most important factors contributing to laminate performance. A 4.5 g/m² PA66 veil provided the best all-round performance with fracture toughness improvements of 156% and 69% for Mode I and Mode II, respectively.     

Interlaminar fracture (model II) of commingled yarn-based GF/PP composites

A 5050 wt % mixture of commingled glass/polypropylene fibre system was selected to study the correlations between the morphological details, mode II interlaminar fracture toughness and corresponding failure mechanisms. Mode II interlaminar fracture tests were performed by using the end-notched flexure test procedure. Compared to conventional composite laminates, mode II interlaminar crack extension in these commingled yarn-based composites was very stable, and extensive fibre nesting occurred along the main crack plane. Crack jumping and non-broken matrix links were observed.R-curve behaviour for these materials was identified and the toughness for initiation was much lower than that for propagation. Compared to mode I interlaminar fracture toughness, similar trends in effects of cooling rates and isothermal crystallizations on mode II interlaminar fracture toughness were observed. However, the effects were not as significant as those found for mode I interlaminar fracture toughness.Alexander von Humboldt Fellow.     

Monitoring of delamination onset and growth during Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture tests using guided waves

A delamination monitoring method was proposed to characterize Mode I and Mode II delamination onset in carbon fiber/epoxy (CF/EP) composite laminates through interrogation of guided waves activated and captured using piezoelectric actuators and sensors in a pitch–catch configuration. Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture tests were conducted using double cantilever beam (DCB) and end notch flexure (ENF) specimens to evaluate the proposed method. The changes in wave propagation velocity and wave magnitude (or attenuation), and the degree of waveform similarity between excitation and response signals, were calculated as delamination-sensitive wave parameters and plotted versus displacement recorded using a materials testing system. The kink points determined from wave parameter–displacement curves agreed well with the deviation from linearity (NL), visual observation (VIS) and maximum load (Max) points, which are often used in conventional methods for determining interlaminar fracture toughness. The propagation characteristics of the A₀ wave mode in a low frequency range were demonstrated to have high sensitivity to Mode I and in particular Mode II delamination onset in CF/EP composite laminates. It was concluded that the guided waves propagating in the DCB and ENF specimens were capable of determining Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness, complementing current practices based on visual inspection or trivial interrogation using load–displacement curve alone.     

Interlaminar fracture toughness and associated fracture behaviour of bead-filled epoxy/glass fibre hybrid composites

To investigate enhancement of matrix-dominated properties (such as interlaminar fracture toughness) of a composite laminate, two different bead-filled epoxies were used as matrices for the bead-filled epoxy/glass fibre hybrid composites. The plane strain fracture toughness of two different bead-filled epoxies have been measured using compact tension specimens. Significant increases in toughness were observed. Based on these results the interlaminar fracture toughness and fracture behaviour of hybrid composites, fabricated using bead-filled epoxy matrices, have been investigated using double cantilever beam and end notch flexure specimens for Mode I and Mode II tests, respectively. The hybrid composites based on carbon bead-filled matrix shows an increase in both G _IC initiation and G _IIC values as compared to a glass fibre reinforced plastic laminate with unmodified epoxy matrix. The optimum bead volume fraction for the hybrid composite is between 15% and 20%. However, the unmodified epoxy glass-fibre composite shows a higher G _IC propagation value than that of hybrid composites, due to fibre bridging, which is less pronounced in the hybrids as the presence of the beads results in a matrix-rich interply region.     

Study of composite joint strength with carbon nanotube reinforcement

In order to strengthen the interface of a composite scarf joint, this study investigated the benefits of using locally applied carbon nanotubes to reinforce a carbon fiber composite scarf joint. The effect of carbon nanotubes on enhancing the fracture toughness and interface strength was investigated by performing Mode I and Mode II fracture tests with and without carbon nanotubes applied locally at the joint interface. Furthermore, the effects of seawater absorption and different carbon nanotube concentration values on Mode II fracture were investigated. Finally, a partial application of carbon nanotubes only near the crack tip area was considered. During the study, the image correlation technique was used to examine the fracture mechanisms altered by the introduction of carbon nanotubes. The experimental study showed that an optimal amount of carbon nanotubes could increase the fracture toughness of the composite joint interface significantly, especially for Mode II, including a physical change in the fracture mechanism.     

Preparation and mechanical properties of carbon nanotube grafted glass fabric/epoxy multi-scale composites

In the present paper, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were chemically grafted onto surfaces of the amino silane treated glass fabric by a novel chemical route for the first time to create 3D network on the glass fibers. The chemical bonding process was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The glass fabric/CNT/epoxy multi-scale composite laminates were fabricated with the CNT grafted fabrics using vacuum assisted resin infusion molding. Tensile tests were conducted on fabricated multi-scale composites, indicating the grafting CNTs on glass fabric resulted a decrease (11%) in ultimate tensile strength while toughness of the multi-scale composite laminates were increased up to 57%. Flexural tests revealed that the multi-scale composite laminates prepared with CNT grafted glass fabric represent recovering after first load fall. The interfacial reinforcing mechanisms were discussed based on fracture morphologies of the multi-scale composites.     

Effect of compressive transverse normal stress on mode II fracture toughness in polymeric composites

Effect of transverse normal stress on mode II fracture toughness of unidirectional fiber reinforced composites was studied experimentally in conjunction with finite element analyses. Mode II fracture tests were conducted on the S2/8552 glass/epoxy composite using off-axis specimens with a through thickness crack. The finite element method was employed to perform stress analyses from which mode II fracture toughness was extracted. In the analysis, crack surface contact friction effect was considered. It was found that the transverse normal compressive stress has significant effect on mode II fracture toughness of the composite. Moreover, the fracture toughness measured using the off-axis specimen was found to be quite different from that evaluated using the conventional end notched flexural (ENF) specimen in three-point bending. It was found that mode II fracture toughness cannot be characterized by the crack tip singular shear stress alone; nonsingular stresses ahead of the crack tip appear to have substantial influence on the apparent mode II fracture toughness of the composite.     

Interlaminar fracture of commingled-fabric-based GF/PET composites

A 45:55 weight% mixture of commingled glass/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric was selected to study the relationships between material microstructure, Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture toughnesses and failure mechanisms. Composite laminates subjected to different cooling histories were manufactured within a steel mould using a laboratory heat press. Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture tests were performed using double cantilever beam and end-notched flexure specimens. PET matrix morphology appeared to be sensitive to the thermal histories, although this occurred on a subspherulitic scale (in contrast to observations made with polypropylene-based composites). The spherulitic textures were generally very fine and no evidence of interspherulitic fracture paths could be identified. When the composites were subjected to low cooling rates or an isothermal crystallization process, many small matrix cracks developed between fibres within the reinforcing bundles. The lower the cooling rate, the higher the density of matrix cracks per unit volume of material. The interlaminar fracture toughness in the laminates with slow cooling rates was much lower than in the case where a quasi-quenched condition was applied.     

Mode I and mode II delamination properties of glass/vinyl-ester composite toughened by particulate modified interlayers

Various vinyl-ester (VE)/poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) (ABS) blends were used for interlayer-toughening of a glass/VE composite to increase delamination resistance of the base material under mode I and mode II loading. Dry ABS powder was mixed with the liquid resin in four weight ratios: 3.5, 7, 11 and 15 phr (parts per hundred parts of resin) while the layer thickness was varied within the range of 150–500 μm. Firstly, mode I fracture toughness and tensile properties of the VE/ABS blends were assessed. By using the Raman Spectroscopy technique a chemical reaction was discovered which occurred during ABS–VE mixing: i.e. butadiene transition from the ABS particles to the VE. A butadiene saturation was discovered to occur in the VE beyond 7% ABS particle content. Both mode I and mode II fracture toughness were significantly improved with application of the interlayers. Mode I fracture toughness was found to be a function of layer thickness and particle content variations. The latter dominated G_Ic after the saturation point. On the other hand mode II fracture toughness was found to be independent of the layer thickness (within the used layer thickness range) and only moderately influenced by the particle content. Important Toughening mechanisms were plastic deformation and micro-cracking of the layer materials. Evidence of both mechanisms has been found using optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).     

Electrospun nanofibre toughened carbon/epoxy composites: Effects of polyetherketone cardo (PEK-C) nanofibre diameter and interlayer thickness

Polyetherketone cardo (PEK-C) nanofibres were produced by an electrospinning technique and directly deposited on carbon fabric to improve the interlaminar fracture toughness of carbon/epoxy composites. The influences of nanofibre diameter and interlayer thickness on the Mode I delamination fracture toughness, flexure property and thermal mechanical properties of the resultant composites were examined. Considerably enhanced interlaminar fracture toughness has been achieved by interleaving PEK-C nanofibres with the weight loading as low as 0.4% (based on weight of the composite). Finer nanofibres result in more stable crack propagation and better mechanical performance under flexure loading. Composites modified by finer nanofibres maintained the glass transition temperature (T_g) of the cured resin. Increasing nanofibre interlayer thickness improved the fracture toughness but compromised the flexure performance. The T_g of the cured resin deteriorated after the thickness increased to a certain extent.     

Fracture behaviour of model toughened composites under Mode I and Mode II delaminations

The fracture behaviour of two toughened epoxy composite systems was investigated using various microscopy techniques. The Mode I delamination fracture toughness,G _IC, Mode II delamination fracture toughness;G _IIC, and compression after impact (CAI) strength of these model composite systems were also measured. Under Mode I fracture, it was found that these composites exhibit nearly identical toughening mechanisms to those of the rubber-modified neat resins. The composites differ primarily in having smaller damage zones than the neat resin equivalents. Under Mode II fracture, the typical hackles were found to initiate from inside the resin-rich interlaminar region due to the presence of the toughener particles. The CAI strength, based on the present study as well as the work conducted by others, appeared to be related to, but not necessarily strongly dependent on, the interlaminarG _IC andG _IIC, the thickness of the interlaminar resin-rich region, and the type of the interlaminar toughener particles. Approaches for improving theG _IC,G _IIC, and CAI strength of high-performance toughened composites are discussed.     

Toughening of carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy polymer composites utilizing fiber surface treatment and sizing

Toughening of fiber-reinforced epoxy composites while maintaining other mechanical properties represents a significant challenge. This paper presents an approach of enhancing the toughness of a DGEBA/mPDA-based carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composite, without significantly reducing the static-mechanical properties such as flexural properties and glass transition temperature. The impact of combining an UV-ozone fiber surface treatment with an aromatic and aliphatic epoxy fiber sizing on composite toughness is investigated. Carbon fiber-epoxy adhesion was increased as measured by the single fiber interfacial shear test. The Mode I composite fracture toughness was enhanced by 23% for the UV-ozone fiber surface treatment alone. With the addition of an aromatic and aliphatic fiber sizing, the composite fracture toughness was further increased to 50% and 84% respectively over the as-received, unsized fiber. The increased fiber/matrix adhesion also improved the transverse flexural strength.     

Interlaminar fracture toughness of CFRP in Mode I and Mode II determined by Raman spectroscopy

Fracture toughness of multidirectional Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) for Mode I and Mode II was investigated using Double Cantilever Beam (DCB), End Notched Flexure (ENF) specimens and Raman Coating Method. The distribution of strain near the crack tip of CFRP was measured by Raman spectroscopy. Thin films of PbO on the measured surface of the DCB and ENF specimens were deposited by physical vapor deposition as the pretreatment to measure the strain by Raman spectroscopy. The fracture toughness of multidirectional CFRP in both Mode I and Mode II was determined using the results measured by Raman spectroscopy. This result coincided with those measured by conventional methods.     

Mode II interlaminar fracture properties of Moso bamboo

Bamboo is a kind of biological composites reinforced by unidirectional long fiber. Once there exists crack, the propagation of delamination is controlled by the interlaminar fracture toughness instead of by strength. In this paper, the end notched flexure (ENF) beam specimen was used to test the Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness G_IIC along grain of Moso bamboo internode and the fracture surface was analyzed. The results were obtained that the Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness G_IIC calculated by the experiment parameter substitution method was more accurate and the value was 1303.18 J/m² (coefficient of variation = 8.96%) which was about three times higher than the value of Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness; the crack propagation of Mode II interlaminar fracture was mainly self-similar cracking, but the fracture surface was rougher. Ground tissue in the zone of Mode II crack propagation was characterized by hackle shearing deformation. The SEM photos showed that ground tissue separated from fiber along middle lamella under shear stress and as the increasing of the dislocation of upper and lower layer, the thin-walled ground tissue would fracture transversely by tension, while to thick-walled fiber cell, only middle lamella and primary wall were torn then debonded, fragments remained.     

平纹织物结构对织物增强复合材料层间断裂韧性影响的研究

本文采用粘贴片式双悬臂梁(DCB)试件和端部切口弯曲(ENF)试件研究了平纹织物的经纬纱密度对玻璃平纹织物/环氧树脂复合材料的Ⅰ型和Ⅱ型层间断裂韧性的影响。实验结果表明织物的密度对层间断裂韧性有显著的影响。提出了在织物增强复合材料层合板中,基体在织物孔洞中形成层间铆接,并且就其与层间G_IC和G_IC的关系进行了研究。      

Mixed mode fracture toughness of GFRP composites

Glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites are used in a wide range of applications as a structural material. They have high specific mechanical properties but are prone to delamination as a result of manufacturing defects and impact/shock loading. The ability of the structure to continue to carry load after damage and the subsequent propensity of the damage to propagate are important considerations for the design of damage tolerant composite structures. In order to accurately predict the stability of damage under load, relevant mechanical properties of the material must be accurately determined. In particular, mixed mode fracture toughness data is required in order to study the damage criticality in such structures. This paper describes an experimental study to determine Mixed Mode fracture toughness for thick glass/vinylester specimens. The test methodology used for the experiments and its difficulties will be discussed. Mixed mode fracture toughness results are presented, as are Mode I and Mode II fracture toughness results obtained via Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) and End Notch Flexure (ENF) tests, respectively.     

2.5D fabrics for delamination resistant composite structures

With the introduction of laminates into primary loaded structures, it has become apparent that the delamination failure mode has the potential for being the major life-limiting failure mechanism. Delamination resistance has previously been increased using a number of techniques, including interleafing, rubber-toughened resin systems and stitching. However, all the methods proposed to date have attendant disadvantages, severely limiting their use in practical applications. This paper presents a novel solution—a 2.5-dimensional (2.5D) fabric—which has none of the aforementioned problems. The fabric is manufactured by cutting a simple three-dimensional weave, consisting of two two-dimensional (2D) fabrics connected by interwoven pile threads, to form a ‘hairy’ fabric. These 2.5D fabrics are impregnated with epoxy resin in the normal way, laminated and cured in an autoclave. Results are presented here for Mode I double cantilever beam and Mode II end load split tests performed on the plain 2D glass fabric and the 2.5D fabrics with glass piles. The fabrics were tested in different orientations (0°, i.e., parallel to the pile fibre weave direction, 90° and 45°), and a variety of pile lengths and pile densities were investigated. The presence of the short piles in the matrix-rich region between laminate plies is shown to increase the fracture toughness of the 2.5D composite over the conventional 2D fabric composite by virtue of the energy-absorbing effect produced by the piles in a similar manner to that produced during fibre bridging.