Composite chiral structures for morphing airfoils: Numerical analyses and development of a manufacturing process

This paper investigates complex composite cellular structures featuring a chiral topology with the ability to undergo large overall displacements with limited straining of its components. Numerical analyses are performed to exploit such properties in the design of a morphing airfoil. The advantages associated with the use of composites are investigated by comparing the numerical results with those obtained with a metallic structure. A manufacturing process is then developed to assemble the considered structural configurations using composite materials. The novel process developed is described as applied to the manufacturing of macro chiral components that are tested to evaluate their ability to undergo large deformations. Finally, detailed numerical models of the manufactured structures are presented as a possible approach to evaluate the strength of the proposed configuration.     

Novel system with damage initiated autonomous healing property based on heterogeneous blends of ethylene-methacrylic acid ionomer

Self-healing behavior of ionomer blends containing both rapidly crystallizing phase and with higher amount of amorphous phase has not yet been studied. This work gives a new insight to understand the development of materials with intrinsic self-healing property. In particular, binary blends based on poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid sodium salt) (EMNa)/Poly(vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene) (EVA) and epoxidized natural rubber (ENR), were studied by ballistic puncture tests. In the composition range explored (15-50 wt.% of EVA and ENR), the self-healing characteristics decrease with the increasing amount of EVA but are maintained in all ranges for ENR/EMNa blends. The ballistic damage initiated autonomous healing was observed by optical microscopy and the healing was further analyzed by thermal and mechanical behaviors of the blend materials.     

Self-repairing systems based on ionomers and epoxidized natural rubber blends

The development of materials with the ability of intrinsic self-repairing after damage in a fashion resembling that of living tissues has important scientific and technological implications, particularly in relation to cost-effective approaches toward damage management of materials. Natural rubbers with epoxy functional groups in the macromolecular chain (ENR) and ethylene-methacrylic acid ionomers having acid groups partially neutralized with metal ions possess self-repairing behavior following high energy impacts. This research investigates the self-repairing behavior of both ENR and ionomers during ballistic puncture test on the basis of their thermal and mechanical properties. Heterogeneous blending of ionomers and ENR have also been used here as a strategy to tune the thermal and mechanical properties of the materials. Interestingly, blends of sodium ion containing ionomer exhibit complete self-repairing behavior, whereas blends of zinc ion containing ionomer show limited mending. The chemical structure studied by FTIR and thermal analysis shows that both ion content of ionomer and functionality of ENR have significant influence on the self-repairing behavior of blends. The mobility of rubbery phases along with its interaction to ionomer phase in the blends significantly changes the mending capability of materials. The healing behavior of the materials has been discussed on the basis of their thermal, mechanical, and rheological tests for each materials.     

Mechanical properties of jute fibers and interface strength with an epoxy resin

Four different forms of jute fibers, namely untreated jute filament (UJF), sliver jute filament (SJF), bleached jute filament (BJF), and mercerized jute filament (MJF), have been subjected to tensile strength analysis following Weibull's theory. The MJF and BJF were obtained by the chemical modification of the UJF. A minimum of 50 fibers of each type, at three different gauge lengths, i.e., 15, 30, and 50 mm, were used to study the strength distribution and the effect of gauge length. The mean fiber strength was found to be the maximum for UJF followed, in the order, by BJF, MJF, and SJF (∼ 700, ∼ 660, ∼ 580, and ∼ 540 MPa, respectively, at 50‐mm gauge length). The strength was also found to decrease with an increase in gauge length. In all cases, good agreement was found with Weibull's statistical model. Single fiber composite tests, with an epoxy resin as the matrix, were carried out determine the critical fragment lengths and interfacial strength, following the Kelly–Tyson approach. The BJF was found to have the maximum interfacial adhesion (τ ≈ 140 MPa) followed by UJF, SJF, and MJF having τ values of ∼ 83, ∼ 57, and ∼ 47 MPa, respectively. Scanning electron microscope pictures showed the fiber surface was physically modified by the various treatments. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 75: 1585–1596, 2000     

Viscoelastic effects related to residual thermal stresses in bismaleimide/carbon fiber composite laminates

This paper studies the effects of the residual stresses which originate in the laminates made of composite materials owing to the curing process, and on stresses affected by time and temperature. In order to sustain high operating temperatures, the polymer composites' laminates are made of high performance matrices that usually require processing cycles at high temperatures. The strong thermal variation due to the subsequent cooling process induces residual stresses, owing to the thermoelastic orthotropy of the material. For non-symmetrical stacking sequences, these stresses notably modify the shape of the laminate and reduce both its static strength and buckling load, as a consequence of the latent content of elastic energy stored by the pre-loading. The polymeric composites show a viscoelastic behavior, which implies a constitutive law dependent on both time and temperature. For this reason, the analysis of the phenomenon should account for the creep and the relaxation mechanisms. The configuration of asymmetric laminate is evaluated by both analytical and numerical finite element (FEM) methods. The actual shape of laminates of different geometries is also experimentally determined. On the basis of the analysis of the shape of laminates measured after different thermal cycles, the evolution of residual stresses with time and temperature is analyzed.     

Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Smart Laminates with Embedded SMA Actuators—Part II: Numerical Models and Empirical Correlations

Up to now one of the main limitations for a large use of shape memory alloys (SMA)-based smart composite structures in the aerospace industry is the lack of useful numerical tools for design; in addition, some technological aspects still need a more detailed investigation. This article shows numerical modeling approaches adopted for the implementation of SMA constitutive laws in commercial codes such as ABAQUS. Two different approaches were selected. The first one is based on the thermomechanical model proposed by Turner and the other one follows the thermodynamic macromechanical constitutive law developed by Lagoudas. The implementation in ABAQUS code was followed by a procedure to evaluate model parameters and to experimentally validate the reliability of code predictions for specifically designed test situations. This article presents the test campaign carried out for the definition of these parameters and the numerical-experimental correlation for both the models.