High-strain-rate mechanical performance of particle- and fiber-reinforced polymer composites measured with split Hopkinson bar: A review

Reinforcing polymers with particles and fibers has been a common strategy for decades, in order to make them suitable for high-demanding industrial applications. As composites often undergo dynamic loads, it is important to understand their behavior under such conditions. This review first classifies the types of polymer composites and then explains their failure behavior under tension and compression loading, followed by an overview of some of the experimental procedures used to characterize the polymer composites' dynamic mechanical performance. Afterward, the most significant findings in terms of the high-strain-rate compressive and tensile strength and modulus of polymer composites are thoroughly discussed. The results, available in the literature, on the mechanical properties of polymer composites under quasi-static conditions are also presented and compared with the high-strain-rate data. The differences are explained by discussing the changes in the structural configurations of polymer matrices under quasi-static and dynamic loads. Lastly, conclusions and future perspectives are given, with the intent of highlighting the most promising polymer composites that can be used for a wide variety of applications.

Automated summary

This review categorizes different types of polymer composites, explains their failure behavior under different loads, and discusses experimental methods for characterizing their dynamic mechanical performance. The focus is on the compressive and tensile strength and modulus of polymer composites at high strain rates, compared with data under quasi-static conditions, with explanations for the differences.