| Abstract: | An effective, economic way of using carbon fiber is to combine it with a resin and another material, either a fiber or a metal, to produce a hybrid structure. Some of the properties of a hybrid beam made by attaching carbon composite to either side of an aluminum channel section are described here. The structure has considerable potential in the orthotics field; the aluminum core assists in the forming of, for instance, orthoses (calipers), modifies the failure characteristics of the carbon fiber composite, and eases the problem of jointing and adjustment of finished articles. Difficulties can arise when combining carbon composites and metals because of differences in thermal expansion behavior. To alleviate these effects a urethane modified epoxide resin matrix, which has very good adhesive properties, was employed. The work covers measurements of strength and modulus, evaluation of the aluminum/aluminum bond strength, and the flexural fatigue performance. |
