Ballistic impact and explosive blast resistance of stitched composites

The effectiveness of stitching in increasing the damage resistance of polymer composites against ballistic projectiles and explosive blasts is determined. Glass-reinforced vinyl ester composites stitched in the through-thickness direction with thin Kevlar®-49 yarn were impacted with a bullet travelling at 0.9 km s⁻¹ or an underwater explosive shock wave moving at 1.5 km s⁻¹. The amount of delamination damage to the composite caused by a ballistic projectile was reduced slightly with stitching. Stitching was highly effective in increasing the damage resistance against explosive blast loading. The increased damage resistance was due to the stitching raising the Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of the composite. While the stitched composites experienced slightly less damage, their flexural modulus and strength was similar to the properties of the unstitched composite after ballistic impact testing. The post-blast flexural properties of the stitched composites, on the other hand, were degraded less than the properties of the unstitched material.     

Prediction of Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of stitched flax fiber composites

This paper aims to propose a simulation procedure to predict the interlaminar fracture toughness of stitched flax fiber composites through a virtual double cantilever beam test. The proposed procedure is constituted of two steps. First, the interlaminar failure of unstitched flax fiber laminate, as the parent laminate, is modeled using cohesive elements with a nonlinear softening law in order to model the large-scale fiber bridging occurred during delamination. The experimental results are used to calibrate the parameters of the cohesive law. Second, two-node beam elements are superposed onto the cohesive interface of the parent laminate at a prescribed stitch density and distribution to model the bridging stitches present in the validation samples. The stitch material behavior and properties are obtained from the tensile test of impregnated stitch fibers. The out-of-plane flax yarn stitching was found to generate a twofold increase in the delamination resistance of the composite laminate at a medium stitch density. The FE analysis results agreed well with the experimental results, where a good fit between the predicted and experimental R-curves was achieved.     

Study of Composite Interface Fracture and Crack Growth Monitoring Using Carbon Nanotubes

Interface fracture of woven fabric composite layers was studied using Mode II fracture testing. Both carbon fiber and E-glass fiber composites were used with a vinyl ester resin. First, the single-step cured (i.e., co-cured) composite interface strength was compared to that of the two-step cured interface as used in the scarf joint technique. The results showed that the two-step cured interface was as strong as the co-cured interface. Carbon nanotubes were then applied to the composite interface using two-step curing, and then followed by Mode II fracture testing. The results indicated a significant improvement of the interface fracture toughness due to the dispersed carbon nanotube layer for both carbon fiber and E-glass fiber composites. The carbon nanotube layer was then evaluated as a means to monitor crack growth along the interface. Because carbon nanotubes have very high electrical conductivity, the electrical resistance was measured through the interface as a crack grew, thus disrupting the carbon nanotube network and increasing the resistance. The results showed a linear relationship between crack length and interface resistance for the carbon fiber composites, and allowed initial detection of failure in the E-glass fiber composites. This study demonstrated that the application of carbon nanotubes along a critical composite interface not only improves fracture properties but can also be used to detect and monitor interfacial damage.     

Fractographical analysis on the mode II delamination in woven carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites

Mode II delamination phenomena of woven fabric carbon/epoxy composites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. End notch flexural (ENF) test was used to examine the mode II delamination. Woven fabric composites showed two peculiar crack propagation patterns due to the complexity of woven geometry. In warp yarn region, crack propagated with forming a shear band and breaking the fiber/matrix interface. In fill yarn region, however, no shear band was observed. Considering these crack patterns, matrix shear property and fiber/matrix interfacial strength played an important role in enhancing the delamination properties of woven fabric carbon/epoxy composites. Due to the woven geometry, matrix rich positions, which are interstitial and undulated region, were formed in woven carbon/epoxy composite. In these regions, matrix fracture and complex crack path were mainly observed.     

Effect of stitch density and stitch thread thickness on compression after impact strength and response of stitched composites

In this paper, the damage failure and behaviour of stitched composites under compression after impact (CAI) loading are experimentally investigated. This study focuses on the effect of stitch density and stitch thread thickness on the CAI strength and response of laminated composites reinforced by through-thickness stitching. Experimental findings show that stitched composites have higher CAI failure load and displacement, which corresponds to higher energy absorption during CAI damage, mainly attributed to greater energy consumption by stitch fibre rupture. The coupling relationships between CAI strength, impact energy, stitch density and stitch thread thickness are also revealed. It is understood that the effectiveness of stitching has high dependency on the applied impact energy. At low impact energy range, CAI strength is found to be solely dependent on stitch density, showing no influence of stitch thread thickness. It is however observed that stitch fibre bridging is rendered ineffective in moderately stitched laminates during compressive failure, as local buckling occurs between stitch threads, resulting in unstitched and moderately stitched laminates have similar CAI strength. The CAI strength of densely stitched laminates is much higher due to effective stitch fibre bridging and numerous stitch thread breakages. At high impact energy level, CAI strength is discovered to be intimately related to both stitch density and stitch thread thickness. Since CAI failure initiates from impact-induced delamination area, stitch fibre bridging is considerable for all specimens due to the relatively large delamination area present. Stitch threads effectively bridge the delaminated area, inhibit local buckling and suppress delamination propagation, thus leading to increased CAI strength for laminates stitched with higher stitch density and larger stitch thread thickness. Fracture mechanisms and crack bridging phenomenon, elucidated by X-ray radiography are also presented and discussed. This study reveals novel understanding on the effectiveness of stitch parameters for improving impact tolerance of stitched composites.     

Process and mechanical properties of carbon/carbon–silicon carbide composite reinforced with carbon nanotubes grown in situ

A hierarchical C_f/C–SiC composite was fabricated via in situ growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on fiber cloths following polymer impregnation and pyrolysis process. The effects of CNTs grown in situ on mechanical properties of the composite, such as flexural strength, fracture toughness, crack propagation behavior and interfacial bonding strength, were evaluated. Fiber push-out test showed that the interfacial bonding strength between fiber and matrix was enhanced by CNTs grown in situ. The propagation of cracks into and in fiber bundles was impeded, which results in decreased crack density and a “pull-out of fiber bundle” failure mode. The flexural strength was increased while the fracture toughness was not improved significantly due to the decreased crack density and few interfacial debonding between fiber and matrix, although the local toughness can be improved by the pull-out of CNTs.     

整体缝合夹芯结构复合材料压缩性能

设计了一种新型整体缝合夹芯结构。采用真空导入模塑工艺(VIMP)制备整体缝合夹芯结构复合材料, 研究其在平压载荷作用下的力学性能和破坏模式, 建立其有限元模型, 研究缝合纱线用量对整体缝合夹芯结构复合材料平压力学性能的影响。结果表明:该新型整体缝合夹芯结构复合材料能够在提高缝合纱线数量的同时避免一般斜缝方式引起纤维交叉损坏的弊端。整体缝合夹芯结构复合材料的压缩强度和压缩模量随着缝合纱线数量的增加而增大, 但缝合纱线含量较高时, 比压缩强度有所下降。数值计算结果与试验结果对比分析, 验证了所建立有限元模型的合理性, 说明该模型可用于预测其压缩模量。      

Interfacially reinforced methylphenylsilicone resin composites by chemically grafting multiwall carbon nanotubes onto carbon fibers

Both silane and multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grafted successfully onto carbon fibers (CFs) to enhance the interfacial strength of CFs reinforced methylphenylsilicone resin (MPSR) composites. The microstructure, interfacial properties, impact toughness and heat resistance of CFs before and after modification were investigated. Experimental results revealed that CNTs were grafted uniformly onto CFs using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS) as the bridging agent. The wettability and surface energy of the obtained hybrid fiber (CF-APS-CNT) were increased obviously in comparison with those of the untreated-CF. The CF-APS-CNT composites showed simultaneously remarkable enhancement in interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and impact toughness. Moreover, the interfacial reinforcing and toughening mechanisms were also discussed. In addition, Thermogravimetric analysis and thermal oxygen aging experiments indicated a remarkable improvement in the thermal stability and heat oxidation resistance of composites by the introduction of APS and CNTs. We believe the facile and effective method may provide a novel interface design strategy for developing multifunctional fibers.     

Effects of yarn size and Z-yarn density on the interlaminar shear properties of two Z-reinforced 3D C/SiC composites

This work investigated the effects of yarn size and Z-yarn density on the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of two 3D C/SiC composites fabricated by chemical vapor infiltration. They were the 3D needled (3DN) composite and the 3D stitched (3DS) plain woven composite, respectively. For 3DN C/SiC, short-cut fiber lamina was confirmed as the initial facture source. Large yarn size resulted into the occurrence of 0° non-woven fiber lamina fracture source and increased the crack extending paths. The ILSS of textile preforms indicates ILSS of their composites. The existing knowledge had displayed that increasing Z-yarn density increased the ILSS of 3DN carbon fiber preform. Thus the ILSS of 3DN C/SiC increased with increasing yarn size and Z-yarn density. For 3DS C/SiC, the interlaminar region was considered as the initial fracture source and caused the matrix crack sources in the weft and warp yarn. Large yarn size alleviated SiC densification effect of preform while high Z-yarn density enhanced Z-pinning effect and SiC densification effect of interlaminar region. Thus the ILSS of 3DS C/SiC decreased with increasing yarn size and decreasing Z-yarn density.     

Experimental determination of the mode I delamination fracture and fatigue properties of thin 3D woven composites

The mode I delamination fracture toughness and fatigue strength of thin-section three-dimensional (3D) woven composite materials is experimentally determined. The non-crimp 3D orthogonally woven carbon–epoxy composites were thin (2 mm) and consequently their through-thickness z-binder yarns were inclined at a very steep angle (about 70°) from the orthogonal direction. The steep z-binder angle has a marked effect on the delamination toughening and fatigue strengthening mechanisms. Experimental testing revealed that the fracture toughness and fatigue resistance increased progressively with the volume content of z-binders. However, the steep angle caused the z-binder yarns bridging the delamination crack to deform and fail in shear and through-thickness tension, rather than in-plane tension which usually occurs in thick 3D woven composites. Mode I pull-off tests on a single woven z-binder yarn embedded within the composite revealed that the crack bridging traction load, strain energy absorption and failure mechanism were strongly affected by the steep angle.     

薄层化碳布缝合碳/碳复合材料制备与性能

为获得高性能、低成本碳/碳复合材料,以商用级T700大丝束薄层化碳纤维展宽平纹布和航空航天级T300小丝束碳纤维缎纹布为原材料制备缝合预制体,采用化学气相沉积工艺方法制备了一系列缝合碳/碳复合材料,对材料的气相致密化特征、微观结构特征和力学性能进行了测试与分析。研究结果表明,碳布规格和缝合间距对材料气相致密化效果和力学性能有较大影响。当选用T700-12 K、展宽16 mm大丝束纤维编织的面密度100 g/m2的平纹布为原材料且预制体缝合间距为5 mm×5 mm时,制备的密度为1.781 g/cm3薄层化碳布缝合碳/碳复合材料表现出良好的气相沉积工艺适应性和优异的力学性能,材料拉伸强度、压缩强度、弯曲强度和层间剪切强度高达342.9 MPa、285.5 MPa、328.4 MPa和15.2 MPa。通过商用级大丝束薄层化碳纤维的应用,大幅降低了高性能碳/碳复合材料的原材料成本,且制备的碳/碳复合材料性能达到了国际先进水平。      

ON THE EQUIVALENCE OF STRESS INTENSITY AND ENERGY APPROACHES IN BRIDGING ANALYSIS

Abstract— Through-thickness reinforcement is effective in suppressing delamination in composite laminates. It provides bridging in the crack wake during delamination crack growth. The closure traction behind the crack tip due to this bridging increases the delamination toughness significantly. The effect of bridging may be analysed using the stress intensity approach or the Griffith energetic approach. In this paper, delamination crack growth resistance K _R,(Δa) of a double-cantilever-beam specimen, with through-thickness reinforcement, under Mode I delamination is determined using these two approaches. Additionally, the J-integral analysis is also employed. A comparison between the theoretical results predicted by these three methods is provided using the example of stitched CFRP.     

Effects of Stitching on Delamination of Satin Weave Carbon-Epoxy Laminates Under Mode I,Mode II and Mixed-Mode I/II Loadings

The objective of the present study is to characterize the effect of modified chain stitching on the delamination growth under mixed-mode I/II loading conditions. Delamination toughness under mode I is experimentally determined, for unstitched and stitched laminates, by using untabbed and tabbed double cantilever beam (TDCB) tests. The effect of the reinforcing tabs on mode I toughness is investigated. Stitching improves the energy release rate (ERR) up to 4 times in mode I. Mode II delamination toughness is evaluated in end-notched flexure (ENF) tests. Different geometries of stitched specimens are tested. Crack propagation occurs without any failure of stitching yarns. The final crack length attains the mid-span or it stops before and the specimen breaks in bending. The ERR is initially low and gradually increases with crack length to very high values. The mixed-mode delamination behaviour is investigated using a mixed-mode bending (MMB) test. For unstitched specimens, a simple mixed-mode criterion is identified. For stitched specimens, stitching yarns do not break during 25% of mode I ratio tests and the ERR increase is relatively small compared to unstitched values. For 70% and 50% of mode I ratios, failures of yarns are observed during crack propagation and tests are able to capture correctly the effect of the stitching: it clearly improves the ERR for these two mixed modes, as much as threefold.     

氮化硼纳米管增强氮化硅复合材料的裂纹扩展阻力行为

用氮化硼纳米管(BNNT)增强氮化硅(Si₃N₄)陶瓷制备了BNNT/Si₃N₄复合材料, 利用三点弯曲强度及单边切口梁(SENB)法测定了BNNT/Si₃N₄复合材料的弯曲强度和断裂韧性。通过SEM观察了BNNT/Si₃N₄复合材料微观形貌。基于BNNT增强Si₃N₄陶瓷复合材料的裂纹扩展阻力计算公式, 构建了BNNT对Si₃N₄陶瓷裂纹屏蔽区的裂纹扩展阻力的数学模型。用该模型的计算结果与Si₃N₄陶瓷的裂纹扩展阻力进行了对比。结果表明: BNNT/Si₃N₄复合材料的弯曲强度和断裂韧性明显高于Si₃N₄陶瓷, 说明BNNT对Si₃N₄陶瓷的裂纹扩展有阻力作用, 摩擦拔出是Si₃N₄陶瓷抗裂纹扩展能力提高的主要原因; BNNT对Si₃N₄陶瓷有明显的升值阻力曲线行为。通过有限元模拟裂纹尖端应力分布, 发现BNNT使Si₃N₄陶瓷裂纹尖端的最大应力转移到纳米管上, 而且BNNT降低了Si₃N₄陶瓷裂纹尖端的应力, 对Si₃N₄陶瓷尖端的裂纹有屏蔽作用, 从而提高了Si₃N₄陶瓷的裂纹扩展阻力。     

Intralaminar fracture mechanism in unidirectional CFRP composites — part II: analysis

Three kinds of representative carbon fiber reinforced unidirectional composite materials are used, and their intralaminar fracture behavior is investigated by using the double-cantilever beam (DCB) specimen with a simultaneous acoustic emission measuring. In Part I, the experimental results on the crack propagation, the bridging fibers, the intralaminar fracture toughness acoustic emission characteristics and microscope observations were obtained. Here, we use a bridging fiber model to analyze the debonding force acting on a bridging fiber and try to estimate the number of bridging fibers during the crack propagating process. At the same time, the intralaminar fracture toughness is calculated by both the adhesive force model and the finite element analysis. As a result, it is found that the intralaminar fracture toughness without the bridging fibers will have a constant value during the crack propagation, but it increases greatly when bridging fibers exist. It is clear that the bridging fibers play an important role in the intralaminar fracture toughness. The debonding forces acting on the bridging fibers and the number of bridging fibers are obtained. Furthermore, the quantitative estimation of the increment of the intralaminar fracture toughness contributed by bridging fibers is made according to the adhesive force model and it is comparable with the results obtained by the finite element analysis.     

Thermal degradation of the mode I interlaminar fracture properties of stitched glass fibre/vinyl ester composites

Changes to the Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness, GIc, and fracture mechanisms of stitched and unstitched fibreglass/vinyl ester composites were investigated after exposure to elevated temperatures. The fibreglass was stitched through the thickness with Kevlar®-49 thread in two orientations with two stitch densities, and then resin transfer moulded with a cold-curing vinyl ester resin. After curing at room temperature (20°C) for several weeks, the composites were heated to between 100 and 300°C for 1 h or at 175°C for times ranging from 0.25–100 h. The GIc values, which were measured using the double cantilever beam method, of stitched composites in the cold-cured condition were between 1.5 and 2.3 times higher than the unstitched composite. It was observed with scanning electron microscopy that this toughening occurred by deflection of the crack tip at the stitches, by the ability of the stitches to remain intact for a short distance (7–15 mm) behind the crack front, and by partial pull-out of broken stitches. The interlaminar fracture toughness of the unstitched composite increased slightly following heating, despite a possible breakdown of the chemical structure of the vinyl ester between 150 and 300°C. In contrast, the interlaminar toughness of the stitched composites was degraded significantly by heating, and this was probably caused by thermal deterioration of the Kevlar® stitches. This study reveals that the elevated-temperature post-curing of stitched composites will reduce the effectiveness of Kevlar® stitching in raising the Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness. © 1998 Chapman & Hall     

Enhancement of delamination fatigue resistance in carbon nanotube reinforced glass fiber/polymer composites

We show that the addition of small volume fractions of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to the matrix of glass–fiber composites reduces cyclic delamination crack propagation rates significantly. In addition, both critical and sub-critical inter-laminar fracture toughness values are increased. These results corroborate recent experimental evidence that the incorporation of CNTs improve fatigue life by a factor of two to three in in-plane cyclic loading. We show that in both the critical and sub-critical cases, the degree of delamination suppression is most pronounced at lower levels of applied cyclic strain energy release rate, ΔG. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy of the fracture surfaces suggests that the presence of the CNTs at the delamination crack front slows the propagation of the crack due to crack bridging, nanotube fracture, and nanotube pull-out. Further examination of the sub-critical fracture surfaces shows that the relative proportion of CNT pull-out to CNT fracture is dependent on the applied cyclic strain energy, with pull-out dominating as ΔG is reduced. The conditions for crack propagation via matrix cracking and nanotube pull-out and fracture are studied analytically using fracture mechanics theory and the results compared with data from the experiments. It is believed that the shift in the fracture behavior of the CNTs is responsible for the associated increase in the inter-laminar fracture resistance that is observed at lower levels of ΔG relative to composites not containing CNTs.     

热塑性颗粒-无机粒子协同增韧碳纤维增强环氧树脂复合材料

针对碳纤维增强环氧树脂(CF/EP)复合材料层间断裂韧性进行研究,通过在CF/EP复合材料层间添加四种无机纳米粒子和三种热塑性颗粒对其进行II型层间断裂韧性(G_IIC)研究,选择工艺性和增韧性效果好的两种无机纳米粒子和热塑性颗粒进行协同增韧研究。结果表明,CF/EP复合材料的G_IIC在适当的无机纳米粒子含量下都得到提高,这主要是由于无机纳米粒子在层间形成了有效吸收断裂能的微结构,纳米羟基氧化铝(AlOOH)的工艺性及增韧性等综合性能最好,AlOOH质量分数为1wt%时,CF/EP复合材料的G_IIC达到931 J/m2,提高了29.3%;热塑性颗粒中,改性聚芳醚酮颗粒(PAEK)的综合性能最好,添加10wt% PAEK,CF/EP复合材料的G_IIC可以提高32%,这是由于预制在层间的热塑性颗粒随着基体流动而得到扩散,形成了独特的跨层间连续结构,从而使裂纹扩展的阻力增加,有效提高了CF/EP复合材料的G_IIC;10wt%PAEK和1wt%AlOOH共同增韧CF/EP复合材料的G_IIC达到1 368 J/m2,相对于未增韧的CF/EP复合材料提高了90%,增韧效果比PAEK和AlOOH对CF/EP复合材料的增韧效果之和大,这表明,PAEK和AlOOH同时加入CF/EP复合材料层间,对CF/EP复合材料具有协同增韧效应。      

Mechanical performance of carbon fibre-reinforced composites based on stitched preforms

A comparative assessment of the influence of pure assembly seams based on a thin (11 tex) polyester yarn in a zigzag geometry on the resulting mechanical performance of a non-crimped fabric (NCF) carbon fibre-reinforced epoxy composite manufactured by vacuum-assisted resin transfer moulding is presented. This study was aimed at generating a solid foundation regarding the overall performance level of stitched NCF composites and at identifying critical property changes. The comprehensive evaluation of the mechanical composite properties includes static as well as dynamic tests of the in-plane properties as well as a characterisation of the interlaminar properties such as apparent interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and compression after impact (CAI). It is demonstrated that mechanical properties such as the tensile and compression stiffness and CAI strength are not degraded by the chosen stitching parameters, whereas the tensile and compression strength, ILSS as well as the tensile fatigue behaviour are reduced as a result of pronounced localised fibre ondulations. A direct comparison to properties of a commonly used 5H satin woven fabric composite verifies that the overall performance of these particular stitched NCF composites must be enhanced with regard to the identified key criteria to meet the level required for aircraft applications and in order to maintain the performance advantage of NCF composites as compared to standard woven fabrics in general. Promising approaches include the use of different yarn materials based on soluble thermoplastics and/or modified stitching parameters.     

Influence of fiber and grain bridging on crack profiles in SiC fiber-reinforced alumina-matrix composites

Initial crack extension and crack propagation in sintered SiC fiber reinforced alumina matrix composites were observed in situ in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). In these composites, coupled toughening mechanisms associated with both grain and fiber bridging are operative in the crack wake. Their contribution to toughness were obtained from crack profiles measured in the crack wake at various applied loads and crack lengths. The crack profiles of the fiber reinforced samples reveal much smaller crack opening displacements compared to the monolithic samples. The fibers act as ligaments which bridge and thereby exert closure stresses on the crack surfaces. The profiles revealed pronounced reduction in the crack opening displacement (COD) around the fiber positions. Accordingly, grain bridging in the vicinity of the fibers was still operative up to an applied stress intensity factor of 5.7 MPa m^1/2 which is 30% above the maximum toughness that could be obtained with the monolithic samples for the same crack length.