Measurement of small angle fiber misalignments in continuous fiber composites

In aligned, continuous fiber composites the fibers actually wander with small angular misalignments about the mean direction. These misalignments are suspected of having a significant influence on several mechanical properties, such as longitudinal compression strength and tensile modulus. A technique is presented for measuring the volume fraction distribution of fiber misalignment angle in the range of ±10°, with an estimated resolution of ±0·25°. The method can provide a full bivariate distribution, which includes both in-plane and out-of-plane misalignments. Data from a carbon fiber composite, APC-2, are given as an illustration. Misalignment distributions for prepreg, a 0/90 laminate, and a unidirectional laminate are given. It is found that the distribution in the prepreg is axially symmetric, but changes upon laminations, the changes depending on stacking sequence. In this particular material most of the fibers are found to lie within ±3° of the mean fiber direction. Distribution standard deviations range from 0·693 to 1·936 degrees.