A NOVEL HEMISPHERICAL MICROBOND SPECIMEN FOR EVALUATING THE INTERFACIAL SHEAR STRENGTH OF A SINGLE FIBER COMPOSITE

In this paper, a novel hemispherical microbond specimen is proposed for evaluating the interfacial shear strength of fiber-reinforced composites. A hemispherical microbond specimen was developed with the insertion of a pin-holed, Teflon film into a droplet matrix surrounding a single fiber. This experimental test offered more reliable strength data in the hemispherical specimen. Thus, the hemispherical microbond specimen is recommended to be suitable for evaluation of interfacial shear strength as a convenient alternative for the cylindrical pull-out test.