Radius ratio effect on high-strain rate properties of syntactic foam composites

The high-strain rate compressive properties of syntactic foams are characterized in this study. This study is performed using a pulse-shaped Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar technique. Nine different types of syntactic foams are fabricated with the same matrix resin system but three different size microballoons and three different microballoon volume fractions. The microballoons have the same outer radius of 40 μm, but different internal radii leading to a difference in their densities. The volume fractions of the microballoons in the syntactic foams are maintained at 0.1, 0.3, and 0.6. Analysis is carried out on the effect of the microballoon radius ratio at each volume fraction on the high-strain rate properties. This approach is helpful in separating and categorizing the contribution of matrix and microballoons to the dynamic compressive properties of syntactic foams. The results at high-strain rates are compared to quasi-static strain rate compressive properties of the same material. The results show that there is little or no significant change in both compressive strength and modulus of syntactic foams at all radius ratios when tested at strain rates of 400–500/s compared to quasi-static rates. However, higher dynamic strength and stiffness values are obtained consistently at all radius ratios when tested at 800–1000/s compared to quasi-static values. It is observed that the radius ratio does not affect the syntactic foam properties significantly when tested at the same high-strain rate and volume fraction. Scanning electron microscopy is carried out to understand the fracture modes of the syntactic foams.     

Effect of strain rate and density on dynamic behaviour of syntactic foam

The final objective of this study is to improve the mechanical behaviour of composite sandwich structures under dynamic loading (impact or crash). Cellular materials are often used as core in sandwich structures and their behaviour has a significant influence on the response of the sandwich under impact. Syntactic foams are widely used in many impact-absorbing applications and can be employed as sandwich core. To optimize their mechanical performance requires the characterisation of the foam behaviour at high strain rates and identification of the underlying mechanisms.Mechanical tests were conducted on syntactic foams under quasi-static and high strain rate compression loading. The material behaviour has been determined as a function of two parameters, density and strain rate. These tests were complemented by experiments on a new device installed on a flywheel. This device was designed in order to achieve compression tests on foam at intermediate strain rates. With these test machines, the dynamic compressive behaviour has been evaluated in the strain rate range up [6.7 · 10⁻⁴ s⁻¹, 100 s⁻¹].Impact tests were conducted on syntactic foam plates with varying volume fractions of microspheres and impact conditions. A Design of Experiment tool was employed to identify the influence of the three parameters (microsphere volume fraction, projectile mass and height of fall) on the energy response. Microtomography was employed to visualize in 3D the deformation of the structure of hollow spheres to obtain a better understanding of the micromechanisms involved in energy absorption.     

Effects of density and strain rate on properties of syntactic foams

Syntactic foams are characterized for high strain rate compressive properties using Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) technique in this study. The results at high strain rates are compared to quasi-static strain rate compressive properties of the same material. Four different types of syntactic foams are fabricated with the same matrix resin system but different size microballoons for testing purpose. The microballoons have the same outer radius. However, their internal radius is different leading to a difference in their density and strength. The volume fraction of the microballoons in syntactic foams is maintained at 0.65. Such an approach is helpful in isolating and identifying the contribution of matrix and microballoons to the dynamic compressive properties of syntactic foams. Results demonstrate considerable increase in peak strength of syntactic foams for higher strain rates and increasing density. It is also observed that the elastic modulus increases with increasing strain rate and density. Scanning electron microscopy is carried out to understand the fracture modes of these materials and the density effect on high strain rate properties of syntactic foam.     

Shear properties of CMB syntactic foam

In this research, a triaxial shear test is used as a means to provide yield surface data as well as other strength characteristics for carbon microballoon (CMB) syntactic foam. Additionally, pure shear tests and tensile tests are used to probe areas of this stress space not included in the triaxial shear tests. The data are used to characterize the material’s yield strength in stress space. The determined yield surface, the strain and other deformational behavior characteristics provide the necessary information for an accurate model and engineering design. The CMB foam specimens were divided into two sets: one with Thornel pitch-based carbon fibers and one without; both use Kerimid 601 as the binder. The CMB syntactic foam with fibers exhibited lower shear strength than the CMB syntactic foam without fibers. This is evident not only in the determined shear envelopes but also in the values obtained for the hydrostatic yield of both foams. Complementary analysis of the blending process of mixing fibers with CMB has been shown to destroy the microballoons and thus reduce the foams strength. The consequences of incorporating alternative materials can be verified with further testing.     

UHMWPE交织双轴向纬编复合材料高应变率压缩性能研究

利用SHPB装置对UHMWPE交织双轴向纬编针织物/乙烯基酯树脂复合材料进行了高应变率压缩实验,研究了该材料的应变率效应和能量吸收.结果表明:等离子体处理后,复合材料的高应变率压缩性能有了较大的提高,放电功率100W是一个较为合适的处理条件.UHMWPE交织双轴向纬编复合材料呈现出一定的应变率敏感性:随着应变率的增加,最大应力、压缩模量、断裂应变能密度相应增大.由于交织双轴向纬编结构中的针织线圈及经纬纱交织作用,其具有较好的抗冲击性能.     

Quasi-static and high strain rate response of aluminum matrix syntactic foams under compression

Aluminum alloy matrix syntactic foams were produced by inert gas pressure infiltration. Four different alloys and ceramic hollow spheres were applied as matrix and filler material, respectively. The effects of the chemical composition of the matrix and the different heat-treatments are reported at different strain-rates and in compressive loadings. The higher strain rates were performed in a Split-Hopkinson pressure bar system. The results show that, the characteristic properties of the materials strongly depends on the chemical composition of the matrix and its heat-treatment condition. The compressive strength of the investigated foams showed a limited sensitivity to the strain rate, its effect was more pronounced in the case of the structural stiffness and fracture strain. The failure modes of the foams have explicit differences showing barreling and shearing in the case of quasi-static and high strain rate compression respectively.     

Effect of cooling rate on the high strain rate properties of boron steel

In this work, the effect of cooling rate on the high strain rate behavior of hardened boron steel was investigated. A furnace was used to austenize boron sheet metal blanks which were then quenched in various media. The four measured cooling rates during the solid state transformation were: 25 (compressed air quench), 45 (compressed air quench), 250 (oil quench) and 2200 °C/s (water quench). Micro-hardness measurements and optical microscopy verified the expected as-quenched microstructure for the various cooling rates. Miniature dog-bone specimens were machined from the quenched blanks and tested in tension at a quasi-static rate, 0.003 s⁻¹ (Instron) and a high rate, 960 s⁻¹ (split Hopkinson tensile bar). The resulting stress vs. strain curves showed that the UTS increased from 1270 MPa to 1430 MPa as strain rate increased for the specimens cooled at 25 °C/s, while the UTS increased from 1615 MPa to 1635 MPa for the specimens cooled at 2200 °C/s. The high rate tests showed increased ductility for the 25, 45 and 250 °C/s specimens, while the specimens cooled at 2200 °C/s showed a slight decrease. The Hollomon hardening curve was fit to the true stress vs. true strain curves and showed that the mechanical response of the high rate tests exhibited a greater rate of hardening prior to fracture than the quasi-static tests. The hardening rate also increased for the specimens quenched at higher cooling rates. Optical micrographs of the fractured specimens showed that the failure mechanism transformed from a ductile-shear mode at the lower cooling rates to a shear mode at the high cooling rates.     

Processing and high strain rate impact response of multi-functional sandwich composites

Sandwich composites are finding increasing applications in aerospace, marine and commercial structures because they offer high bending stiffness and lightweight advantages. Currently, foam and honeycomb core sandwich composites are widely used in structural applications. However, affordability continues to be the driver to develop sandwich constructions that can be processed at lower costs and containing integrated design features. This paper considers sandwich constructions with reinforced cores by way of three-dimensional Z-pins embedded into foam, honeycomb cells filled with foam, and hollow/space accessible Z-pins acting as core reinforcement. These designs offer added advantages over conventional constructions load bearing by enabling functions such as ability to route wires, mount electronic components, increase transverse stiffness, tailor vibration damping, etc. With the assumption that these sandwich constructions would be part of a larger structure, impact damage is often of concern. This paper deals with: (a) processing of sandwich composites using out-of-autoclave cost-effective liquid molding approach, and (b) investigation of the high strain rate impact (164–326/s) response of the sandwich composite structures. Wherever applicable, comparisons are made to traditional foam core and honeycomb core sandwich constructions.     

Effect of strain rate on interlaminar shear properties of carbon/epoxy composites

In this paper, the effect of strain rate on interlaminar shear properties of laminates is studied. The material tested was a T300/5208 carbon/epoxy composite, and the range of strain rates explored was about 10⁻³ − 10³ s⁻¹. The specimens used were designed and optimized by finite element analysis, and the calculations are presented here. One of the specimens permitted the determination of the interlaminar shear modulus, G₁₃, and the other permitted the determination of the interlaminar shear strength, S₁₃. No influence of testing speed on interlaminar properties was observed at low, intermediate and high strain rates. Fracture surfaces were studied by scanning electron microscopy: a slight difference was observed between specimens tested at low and high strain rates.     

Development of rubberized syntactic foam

This study explored a novel hybrid syntactic foam for composite sandwich structures. A unique microstructure was designed and realized. The hybrid foam was fabricated by dispersing styrene–butadiene rubber latex coated glass microballoons into a nanoclay and milled glass fiber reinforced epoxy matrix. The manufacturing process for developing this unique microstructure was developed. A total of seven groups of beam specimens with varying compositions were prepared. Each group contained 12 identical specimens with dimensions 304.8 mm × 50.8 mm × 15.2 mm. The total number of specimens was 84. Among them, 42 beams were pure foam core specimens and the remaining 42 beams were sandwich specimens with each foam core wrapped by two layers of E-glass plain woven fabric reinforced epoxy skin. Both low velocity impact tests and four-point bending tests were conducted on the foam cores and sandwich beams. Compared with the control specimens, the test results showed that the rubberized syntactic foams were able to absorb a considerably higher amount of impact energy with an insignificant sacrifice in strength. This multi-phase material contained structures bridging over several length-scales. SEM pictures showed that several mechanisms were activated to collaboratively absorb impact energy, including microballoon crushing, interfacial debonding, matrix microcracking, and fiber pull-out; the rubber layer and the microfibers prevented the microcracks from propagating into macroscopic damage by means of rubber pinning and fiber bridge-over mechanisms. The micro-length scale damage insured that the sandwich beams retained the majority of their strength after the impact.     

医用C/C复合材料组织结构与应变率效应

采用X射线衍射仪和原子荧光分析仪对石墨化处理前后准三维C/C复合材料的石墨化程度及其所含的汞、砷、铅和镉元素含量进行了分析。在氩气保护条件下经过2400℃ 2 h石墨化处理的C/C复合材料所含以上元素含量较低, 更适宜作为外科植入材料使用。利用电子力学试验机在不同准静态应变率和加载方向条件下,对石墨化处理后C/C复合材料进行了压缩断裂试验研究,采用光学体视显微镜和扫描电子显微镜对该材料的断口形貌进行观察分析。结果表明,C/C复合材料具有压缩应变率效应,增强纤维阻止裂纹扩展和增韧效果明显。材料的抗压强度(28.30 MPa～83.25 MPa)和弹性模量(257.56 MPa～397.06 MPa)可以满足其作为骨修复材料的使用要求。      

Voids and their effect on the strain rate dependent material properties and fatigue behaviour of non-crimp fabric composites materials

The manufacture of composite structures is inevitably linked to the formation of voids. Several non-destructive techniques are potentially able of detecting defects, but just the exact knowledge of the effects of defects on the mechanical properties allows the definition of thresholds for the purpose of quality management. In this paper an experimental program for characterizing the effect of voids on the composite materials behaviour is presented. Therefore glass fibre non-crimp fabric reinforced epoxy composites were produced using vacuum assistant resin transfer moulding. For obtaining various void contents specially modified process parameters were used. Nominally defect free specimens are compared with flawed specimens. Tensile testing at different loading speeds and fatigue tests in tension-compression loading are performed.     

Effect of aging on high strain rate and high temperature properties of 7075 aluminium alloy

Abstract

The high strain rate and high temperature properties of as cast and aged 7075 aluminium alloy were examined by metallographic observation and by means of a split Hopkinson bar test at temperatures between 25 and 300°C and at strain rates of 1·3 × 10³ and 3·1 × 10³ s^-1. The effect of aging, as well as strain rate and temperature, on the dynamic mechanical response, microstructure evolution, and fracture characteristics are presented. The compressive stress–strain response of as cast and aged 7075 alloy is found to depend strongly on both the applied strain rate and the test temperature. However, the aged material is generally found to be stronger than the as cast material. The work hardening rate is seen to decrease with increasing strain, strain rate, and temperature, and its value is higher in the aged material than in the as cast material. Microscopic observation shows that aging, strain rate, and temperature have a significant influence on the microstructural evolution and the changes in grain morphologies. The average grain size can be expressed by a Hall–Petch type relationship after impact deformation. Fracture surface examination revealed that a high strain rate favours the formation of deformed shear bands that are precursors to crack formation and fracture. The aged material has a better ductility owing to the higher percentage of transgranular fracture and an increased density of microdimples.     

Maximum nanotube volume fraction and its effect on overall elastic properties of nanotube-reinforced composites

The potential capability of improving overall elastic modulus of nanotube-reinforced composites is a fundamental concern in nanotechnology applications. Based on geometric analysis and micromechanics estimation, this study reports that the ratio of surface-to-surface distance of adjacent carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to the CNT diameter plays a key role in improving the overall elastic modulus of the CNT-reinforced composites when the tubes are perfectly aligned, completely separated from other tubes, and ideally bonded with the composite matrix. With the decrease of this ratio, that is, decrease of the surface-to-surface distance of adjacent CNTs and/or increase CNT diameter, the improvement capability increases. However, theoretical and experimental results show that an increase of the CNT diameters degrades the elastic moduli of CNTs. This paper discusses the criterion of choosing CNTs with larger diameter and addresses the factors influencing the surface-to-surface distance of adjacent CNTs.     

无压浸渗制备SiCp/Al复合材料的微观组织及弯曲性能

利用无压浸渗法制备高体积分数的SiCp/Al复合材料。采用X射线衍射(XRD)和扫描电镜(SEM)对复合材料的相组成、微观组织及断口形貌进行分析,研究了基体合金成分对复合材料抗弯性能的影响。结果表明,以Al-10%Si-8%Mg合金为基体制备的复合材料组织均匀,致密度好,无明显气孔缺陷,界面反应产物为Mg2Si、MgAl2O4和Fe,且抗弯强度高于以Al-10%Si合金为基体制备的复合材料;复合材料整体上表现出脆性断裂的特征。     

High strain rate effects on direct tensile behavior of high performance fiber reinforced cementitious composites

Direct tensile behavior of high performance fiber reinforced cementitious composites (HPFRCCs) at high strain rates between 10 s⁻¹ and 30 s⁻¹ was investigated using strain energy frame impact machine (SEFIM) built by authors. Six series of HPFRCC combining three variables including two types of fiber, hooked (H) and twisted (T) steel fiber, two fiber volume contents, 1% and 1.5%, and two matrix strengths, 56 MPa and 81 MPa, were investigated. The influence of these three variables on the high strain rate effects on the direct tensile behavior of HPFRCCs was analyzed based on the test results. All series of HPFRCCs showed strongly sensitive tensile behavior at high strain rates, i.e., much higher post cracking strength, strain capacity, and energy absorption capacity at high strain rates than at static rate. However, the enhancement was different according to the types of fiber, fiber volume content and matrix strength: HPFRCCs with T-fibers produced higher impact resistance than those with H-fibers; and matrix strength was more influential, than fiber contents, for the high strain rate sensitivity. In addition, an attempt to predict the dynamic increase factor (DIF) of post cracking strength for HPFRCCs considering the influences of fiber type and matrix strength was made.     

Analytical and experimental studies on mechanical behavior of composites under high strain rate compressive loading

An analytical method is presented for the prediction of compressive strength at high strain rate loading for composites. The method is based on variable rate power law. Using this analytical method, high strain rate compressive stress–strain behavior is presented up to strain rate of 5000 s⁻¹ starting with the experimentally determined compressive strength values at relatively lower strain rates. Experimental results were generated in the strain rate range of 472–1957 s⁻¹ for a typical woven fabric E-glass/epoxy laminated composite along all the three principal directions. The laminated composite was made using resin film infusion technique. The experimental studies were carried out using compressive split Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus. It was generally observed that the compressive strength is enhanced at high strain rate loading compared with that at quasi-static loading. Also, compressive strength increased with increasing strain rate in the range of parameters considered. Analytically predicted results are compared with the experimental results up to strain rate of 1957 s⁻¹.