碳纤维增强树脂复合材料细观蠕变性能

碳纤维增强树脂复合材料以其优异的性能,在各领域得到广泛应用。由于树脂基体具有黏弹性,使其合成的复合材料也表现出黏弹性行为。蠕变是材料黏弹性行为中最典型的一类现象,因此对碳纤维增强树脂复合材料细观蠕变性能的研究具有重要意义。室温下利用纳米压痕技术对碳纤维增强树脂复合材料中的基体、界面及纤维相在不同峰值载荷下的细观蠕变行为进行分析。结果表明:在相同的蠕变时间下,最大载荷为2 mN和10 mN的纤维蠕变位移约为基体蠕变位移的1/3和1/2,界面的蠕变位移介于两者之间;稳态蠕变阶段的蠕变速率小于0.1%;基体、界面、纤维的蠕变应力指数分别为3.6、2.9和2.1。同时根据Kelvin-Voigt模型得到了基体、界面及纤维的第一、第二复数模量、黏度系数及蠕变柔量。      

Development of a carbonization-in-nitrogen method for measuring the fiber content of carbon fiber reinforced thermoset composites

Carbon fiber reinforced thermoset composites such as carbon fiber epoxy composites are widely used in aircraft and aerospace, and are being increasingly used in automotive applications because of their lightweight characteristics, high specific strength, and stiffness. The carbon fiber content in the composite plays a critical role in enhancing structural performance. The carbon fibers contribute to the strength and stiffness; therefore, the mechanical properties of the composite are greatly influenced by the carbon fiber content. Measurement of carbon fiber content is essential for product quality control and process optimization. In this work, a novel carbonization-in-nitrogen (CIN) method is developed to characterize the fiber content in carbon fiber thermoset composites. A carbon fiber composite sample is carbonized in a nitrogen environment at elevated temperatures, alongside a neat resin sample. The carbon fibers are protected from oxidization while the resin (the neat resin and the resin matrix in the composite sample) is carbonized under nitrogen environment. The neat resin sample is used to calibrate the resin carbonization rate and calculate the amount of the resin matrix in the composite sample. The new method has been validated on several thermoset resin systems, and found to yield accurate estimation of fiber content in carbon fiber thermoset composites.     

Analysis of effect of fiber orientation on Young’s modulus for unidirectional fiber reinforced composites

Young’s modulus of unidirectional glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites for wind energy applications were studied using analytical, numerical and experimental methods. In order to explore the effect of fiber orientation angle on the Young’s modulus of composites, from the basic theory of elastic mechanics, a procedure which can be applied to evaluate the elastic stiffness matrix of GFRP composite as an analytical function of fiber orientation angle (from 0° to 90°), was developed. At the same time, different finite element models with inclined glass fiber were developed via the ABAQUS Scripting Interface. Results indicate that Young’s modulus of the composites strongly depends on the fiber orientation angles. A U-shaped dependency of the Young’s modulus of composites on the inclined angle of fiber is found, which agree well with the experimental results. The shear modulus is found to have significant effect on the composites’ Young’s modulus, too. The effect of volume content of glass fiber on the Young’s modulus of composites was investigated. Results indicate the relation between them is nearly linear. The results of the investigation are expected to provide some design guideline for the microstructural optimization of the glass fiber reinforced composites.     

碳纤维复合材料界面结构的形貌与尺寸的表征

为了准确测定碳纤维增强树脂基复合材料界面结构的形貌和尺寸, 本文中介绍了一种原位纳米力学动态模量成像技术, 并采用该方法对碳纤维增强热固性树脂基复合材料进行了测试, 对该技术在界面结构测试上的参数设置、 数据处理方法以及适用性等方面进行了分析。研究表明, 该方法的横向分辨率可以达到纳米尺度, 适于测量界面尺寸在纳米级别的碳纤维复合材料界面形貌与尺寸。对于碳纤维/环氧树脂和碳纤维/双马树脂体系, 界面区的储能模量呈梯度变化, 根据储能模量成像图的统计分析可得到界面的形貌和厚度。所得界面平均厚度在100nm左右, 横截面上界面形貌呈不均匀的“河流状”, 并与碳纤维表面形貌相似。      

A mechanism-based multi-scale model for predicting thermo-oxidative degradation in high temperature polymer matrix composites

This paper describes a mechanism-based multi-scale model for life prediction of high temperature polymer matrix composites (HTPMC) under thermo-oxidative aging conditions. The multi-scale model incorporates molecular level damage such as inter-crosslink chain scission in a thermoset polymer due to thermo-oxidative aging of the polymer resin. The degradation of inter-laminar stress depends on remaining inter-crosslink density of thermo-set polymer in fiber/matrix interface region subjected to thermo-oxidative aging environment. The degradation of inter-laminar shear stress of thermo-oxidatively aged unidirectional IM-7/PETI-5 composite specimens at 300 °C was modeled using an in-house test-bed FEA code (NOVA-3D). A micromechanics based viscoelastic cohesive layer model was used to model delamination. The model is fully rate dependent and does not require a pre-assigned traction-separation law. Viscoelastic regularization of the constitutive equations of the cohesive layer used in this model not only mitigates numerical instability, but also enables the analysis to follow load-deflection behavior beyond peak failure load. The model was able to successfully simulate delamination failure in thermo-oxidatively aged unidirectional IM-7/PETI-5 composite, and the model predictions were verified using test data.     

Can carbon nanotubes grown on fibers fundamentally change stress distribution in a composite?

In carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites the onset of damage occurs at the fiber/matrix interface, where stress concentrations are the highest due to the property mismatch of the two materials. This article reports results of a modelling study indicating that carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown on fibers are effective in suppressing stress concentrations at the fiber/matrix interface. In the case of high density CNT forests, they can even fundamentally change a profile of the interfacial stress. The study is performed using a novel two-scale finite element model of a nano-engineered composite based on the embedded regions technique.     

热氧老化对碳纤维织物增强聚合物基复合材料弯曲性能的影响

为了探索增强体结构对碳纤维增强聚合物基复合材料(CF-PMCs)热氧老化后弯曲性能的影响,对三维四向编织碳纤维/环氧复合材料(简称为三维编织复合材料)和层合平纹碳布/环氧复合材料(简称为层合复合材料)的热氧老化性能进行了研究。利用FTIR、老化失重、弯曲测试和SEM等手段分析了热氧老化前后的试样。结果表明:热氧老化导致基体树脂的氧化断链以及纤维/基体界面结合力的退化是两种复合材料弯曲强度和弯曲模量下降的原因,弯曲强度比弯曲模量更容易受热氧老化的影响。在相同的热氧老化条件下,层合复合材料的热氧老化失重大于三维编织复合材料的,而三维编织复合材料的弯曲强度和弯曲模量保留率均大于层合复合材料的。在140℃下老化1 200h后,层合复合材料的弯曲强度和弯曲模量保留率分别为74.7%和88.3%,而对应的三维编织复合材料的分别为79.4%和91.5%。因此,采用三维编织预制件作为CF-PMCs的增强体是一种有效的提高其热氧稳定性的方法。     

Three Phase Composite Cylinder Assemblage Model for Analyzing the Elastic Behavior of MWCNT-Reinforced Polymers

Evolution of computational modeling and simulation has given more emphasis on the research activities related to carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced polymer composites recently. This paper presents the composite cylinder assemblage (CCA) approach based on continuum mechanics for investigating the elastic properties of a polymer resin reinforced by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). A three-phase cylindrical representative volume element (RVE) model is employed based on CCA technique to elucidate the effects of inter layers, chirality, interspacing, volume fraction of MWCNT, interphase properties and temperature conditions on the elastic modulus of the composite. The interface region between CNT and polymer matrix is modeled as the third phase with varying material properties. The constitutive relations for each material system have been derived based on solid mechanics and proper interfacial traction continuity conditions are imposed. The predicted results from the CCA approach are in well agreement with RVE-based finite element model. The outcomes reveal that temperature softening effect becomes more pronounced at higher volume fractions of CNTs.     

Hybrid nanoreinforced carbon/epoxy composites for enhanced damage tolerance and fatigue life

Hybrid nano/microcomposites with a nanoparticle reinforced matrix were developed, manufactured, and tested showing significant enhancements in damage tolerance properties. A woven carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite, with the polymer (epoxy) matrix reinforced with well dispersed carbon nanotubes, was produced using dispersant-and-sonication based methods and a wet lay-up process. Various interlaminar damage tolerance properties of this composite, including static strength, fracture toughness, fatigue life, and crack growth rates were examined experimentally and compared with similarly-processed reference material produced without nanoreinforcement. Significant improvements were obtained in interlaminar shear strength (20%), fracture toughness (180%), shear fatigue life (order of magnitude), and fatigue crack growth rate (factor of 2). Observations by scanning electron microscopy of failed specimens showed significant differences in fracture surface morphology between the two materials, related to the differences in properties and providing context for understanding of the enhancement mechanisms.     

Compressive response and failure of fiber reinforced unidirectional composites

The compressive response of polymer matrix fiber reinforced unidirectional composites (PMC's) is investigated via a combination of experiment and analysis. The study accounts for the nonlinear constitutive response of the polymer matrix material and examines the effect of fiber geometric imperfections, fiber mechanical properties and fiber volume fraction on the measured compressive strength and compressive failure mechanism.Glass and carbon fiber reinforced unidirectional composite specimens are manufactured in-house with fiber volume fractions ranging over 1060 percent. Compression test results with these specimens show that carbon fiber composites have lower compressive strengths than glass fiber composites. Glass fiber composites demonstrate a splitting failure mode for a range of low fiber volume fractions and a simultaneous splitting/kink banding failure mode for high fiber volume fractions. Carbon fiber composites show kink banding throughout the range of fiber volume fractions examined. Nonlinear material properties of the matrix, orthotropic material properties of the carbon fiber, initial geometric fiber imperfections and nonuniform fiber volume fraction are all included in an appropriate finite element analysis to explain some of the observed experimental results. A new analytical model predictionof the splitting failure mode shows that this failure mode is favorable for glass fiber composites, which is in agreement with test results. Furthermore, this modelis able to show the influence of fiber mechanical properties, fiber volume fraction and fiber geometry on the splitting failure mode.     

双随机分布细观分析模型与复合材料性能预报

发展了一种细观力学有限元分析方法——拟真实的参数化双随机分布模型, 该模型综合考虑了纤维增强树脂基复合材料的真实微结构特点和纤维单丝综合力学性能测试结果的离散性特征, 模拟了复合材料中纤维排列和强度分布的随机性。借助移动窗口法研究了该参数化双随机分布模型的可靠性, 确定了其代表性体积单元的尺寸。基于能量法原理推导了单向复合材料的弹性模量预测公式, 结合能量法和渐进失效分析方法, 利用该细观力学有限元方法分别预测了单向纤维增强树脂基复合材料T300/5228的弹性模量和强度性能。数值模拟结果和大部分试验结果吻合良好, 表明发展的细观力学有限元方法能够较好地预测复合材料的力学性能。      

Influence of hygrothermal aging on carbon nanofiber enhanced polyester material systems

Four polyester composites (neat polyester, polyester reinforced with glass fibers, polyester reinforced with carbon nanofibers, and polyester reinforced with both glass fibers and carbon nanofibers) were prepared with the Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) process. These material systems were exposed to 60 °C/60% RH for 3600 h. Diffusivity was determined using moisture uptake curves. And, it was discovered that the addition of glass fibers (GFs) increased diffusivity, while the addition of carbon nanofibers (CNF) decreased diffusivity. Optical analysis was performed on the manually delaminated glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) and nano-enhanced GFRP. This analysis indicated that the addition of CNF retarded the degradation of the matrix after exposure to elevated heat and humidity. Thermo-mechanical analysis was performed across material systems during various stages of the environmental preconditioning to determine alterations in properties such as storage modulus (SM) and glass transition temperature (T_g). The addition of GF to the system initially increased the maximum storage modulus, it also increased degradation from elevated heat and humidity exposure In contrast with GF, the addition of CNF retarded SM degradation and increased thermal stability. Upon re-drying, the nano-enhanced material systems recouped more than 90% of the maximum SM and maintained a T_g between the baseline and saturated hygrothermal treatments. This indicated both a reversible plasticization and an irreversible retarded degradation which could be potentially attributed to the addition of CNF.     

Influence of the fiber/matrix strength on the mechanical properties of a glass fiber/thermoplastic-matrix plain weave fabric composite

In this work, we analyze the influence of different fiber surface treatments on the mechanical properties of plain weave composites. The reinforcement is a glass fibers fabric and the matrix is an acrylic polymer. Until very recently, this thermoplastic polymer family was not used in composite industry. It is therefore necessary to study if the existing fiber surface treatments are suitable for acrylic resins or if new ones have to be found. At the macroscale, composite materials corresponding to different fiber surface treatments were characterized with: (i) monotonic in-plane shear tests and (ii) heat-build up fatigue measurements on specimens with ±45° fiber orientations with respect to the tensile force. At the mesoscale (fabric scale), the development of damage was experimentally analyzed from (i) 3-D DIC (Digital Image Correlation) full-field strain measurements with spatial resolution smaller than the textile repeating unit and (ii) X-ray microtomography. We show that the analyzed composite materials exhibit linear viscoelastic behavior until a given stress threshold above which damage develops in the material. It was also found that the application on the fibers of a coupling agent specifically developed for promoting the bond between glass fibers and acrylic resins improves the composite mechanical properties, in particular the fatigue properties.     

连续纤维增强树脂复合材料纵向压缩强度预测模型的发展及其影响因素

基于高强、高韧、高模和压拉平衡为特征的第三代先进复合材料的需求,综述了连续纤维增强树脂复合材料纵向压缩强度预测模型的发展历程。基于纤维微屈曲、纤维扭结带、联合预测模型及渐进损伤失效模型,分别讨论了连续纤维增强树脂复合材料压缩失效机制,并在联合预测模型基础上,探究了碳纤维（直径、模量、体积分数、初始偏角）、树脂基体（弹性模量、剪切模量）及纤维/树脂界面三要素对连续纤维增强树脂复合材料纵向压缩强度和压缩失效形式的影响。      

碳纤维增强羟基磷灰石/环氧树脂复合材料的制备与力学性能

采用树脂传递模塑(RTM)工艺制备了碳纤维增强环氧树脂以及碳纤维增强羟基磷灰石(HA)/环氧树脂两种复合材料，并测试了其力学性能。结果表明，RTM工艺可以基本保证环氧基体均匀浸入碳纤维织物内部。碳纤维增强HA，环氧复合材料的冲击韧性高于碳纤维增强环氧复合材料，而弯曲强度和弯曲模量低于碳纤维增强环氧复合材料。两种复合材料的弯曲强度远高于人体皮质骨，弯曲模量与皮质骨非常接近。动态力学分析(DMA)表明加入HA后，复合材料的贮存模量和内耗降低，玻璃化转变温度升高。     

T700碳纤维增强环氧树脂基复合材料自然老化性能与机制

为验证复合材料的耐久性,对T700碳纤维增强环氧树脂基复合材料经自然老化后的微观形貌、表面元素含量、热性能与力学性能等进行了研究。结果表明: 在光氧老化与热氧老化的共同作用下,T700碳纤维增强EP-A环氧树脂基（T700/EP-A）复合材料表层树脂将发生老化降解,并且随自然老化时间的延长,T700/EP-A复合材料的玻璃化转变温度逐渐降低,未老化试样的玻璃化转变温度为207℃,经过自然老化处理3年后,其玻璃化转变温度降低为180℃,延长自然老化时间至5年时,其玻璃化转变温度进一步降低至172℃。而自然老化过程对复合材料力学性能可能同时存在着增强效应与损伤效应,因此造成了T700/EP-A与T700/EP-B复合材料的不同力学性能表现出相异的变化趋势。随自然老化时间延长,T700/EP-A与T700/EP-B复合材料纵向拉伸强度表现出先升高后降低的趋势,纵向弯曲强度表现出逐渐升高的趋势,纵向压缩强度与层间剪切强度存在波动,未呈现出明显变化。      

低密度纤维增强纳米孔树脂基复合材料的断裂机制

纤维增强纳米孔树脂基复合材料(IPC)是一类轻质高效防隔热一体化耐烧蚀材料,具有典型的非均质结构特征。在外加载荷下,内部的纳米孔隙将会衍生出微裂纹。裂纹的萌生、聚合和扩展对复合材料的强度、刚度、变形性等力学性能有着重要的影响。本文分别以石英纤维针刺网胎(NQF)、石英纤维针刺网胎/纤维布(NQCF)为增强体,制备得到不同纤维结构增强的纳米孔酚醛树脂(NPR)基复合材料(NQF/NPR、NQCF/NPR),对比研究了材料拉伸强度、拉伸模量、断裂伸长率及拉伸疲劳性能,并采用CT原位拉伸装置表征了拉伸过程中复合材料的微观结构演变。结果表明：纤维布的引入极大提高了复合材料的力学性能,并且微裂纹首先在针刺区域边缘的树脂基体中出现。在裂纹扩展过程中,纤维结构对树脂基体的损伤起到了不同程度的阻碍作用。最后结合有限元法建立了NPR及纤维布的有限元模型,分析了不同尺度下材料的断裂机制。     

Microscale experimental investigation of failure mechanisms in off-axis woven laminates at elevated temperatures

Off-axis woven laminates fabricated from carbon fiber and a high glass transition temperature thermosetting resin were subjected to tensile static and fatigue loading at temperatures ranging from room temperature up to 205 °C. The damage mechanism prevalent to these specimens was investigated by post-mortem examination using a scanning electron microscope. During most of their life fatigue specimens had accumulated minimal damage which consisted of matrix cracks, transverse bundle cracks and intra-ply delamination. Just before failure fiber bundles began to straighten out and rotate towards the loading direction. This behavior led to large elongation and necking of the specimens before fracture. Overall, the matrix-dominated material behavior and fiber reorientation due to the off-axis configuration had a far greater influence on the fracture morphology than the gradual accumulation of damage due to fatigue loading. It was also found that damage formation was strongly influenced by the type of applied loading and the test temperature.     

The tensile fatigue behaviour of a silica nanoparticle-modified glass fibre reinforced epoxy composite

An anhydride-cured thermosetting epoxy polymer was modified by incorporating 10 wt.% of well-dispersed silica nanoparticles. The stress-controlled tensile fatigue behaviour at a stress ratio of R = 0.1 was investigated for bulk specimens of the neat and the nanoparticle-modified epoxy. The addition of the silica nanoparticles increased the fatigue life by about three to four times. The neat and the nanoparticle-modified epoxy resins were used to fabricate glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP) composite laminates by resin infusion under flexible tooling (RIFT) technique. Tensile fatigue tests were performed on these composites, during which the matrix cracking and stiffness degradation was monitored. The fatigue life of the GFRP composite was increased by about three to four times due to the silica nanoparticles. Suppressed matrix cracking and reduced crack propagation rate in the nanoparticle-modified matrix were observed to contribute towards the enhanced fatigue life of the GFRP composite employing silica nanoparticle-modified epoxy matrix.