Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
M. Sonego, V. F. Sciuti, R. Vargas, R. B. Canto, L. A. Pessan
Summary: The mesocarp of Bertholletia excelsa provides inspiration for the development of strong and damage-tolerant composites. The bioinspired composite, consisting of an epoxy matrix reinforced with 30% carbon fiber and syntactic foam, shows promising mechanical properties. However, further optimization is needed for the syntactic foam to have a synergistic effect.
BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
T. Khan, M. S. Irfan, W. J. Cantwell, R. Umer
Summary: Pre-cracked carbon fiber reinforced composite laminates were manufactured and repaired using the vacuum assisted resin transfer molding process. The effects of healing parameters on fracture toughness were investigated using a factorial design of experiments. The results showed that joining temperature had the most significant influence on fracture toughness, followed by contact time. Optimizing the processing parameters can enhance fracture toughness.
COMPOSITES PART A-APPLIED SCIENCE AND MANUFACTURING
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Nathan Hostettler, Pascal Hubert
Summary: The addition of polycaprolactone (PCL) and graphene to unsaturated polyester resins can significantly enhance their toughness. PCL creates phase-separated microstructures, while graphene forms self-assembled networks, both of which contribute to improved toughness and electrical conductivity.
COMPOSITES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Mechanics
Yuan Chiang, Cheng-Che Tung, Xiang-Di Lin, Po-Yu Chen, Chuin-Shan Chen, Shu-Wei Chang
Summary: This research demonstrates that the Fibonacci composite inspired by Liquidambar formosana exhibits superior properties in terms of compressive stiffness, strength, and toughness due to its unique structural geometry that can effectively arrest and deflect cracks.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Weike Yuan, Yan Li, Jian Zhao
Summary: The 3D-CFAFRP composite material demonstrated higher interlaminar fracture toughness and tensile strength compared to 2D-CFRP composites, but slightly lower flexural and compressive strength. This is due to the lower density and cost advantages of the 3D-CFAFRP composites.
COMPOSITES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
Jun Cong Long, Hang Zhan, Guang Wu, Yu Zhang, Jian Nong Wang
Summary: A facile and effective method was proposed for preparing high-strength CNT/EP composite films, achieving a tensile strength of 2.5 GPa, which is about 5 times that of the raw CNT film. This approach may offer an effective strategy for the preparation of high-performance CNT composite materials.
COMPOSITES PART A-APPLIED SCIENCE AND MANUFACTURING
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Justine Delage, Eduardo Saiz, Nasrin Al Nasiri
Summary: Ceramic matrix composites have excellent thermo-mechanical properties but lack standardized methods for characterizing fracture toughness. This study investigates the fracture behavior of silicon carbide materials reinforced by SiC fibers, identifying the toughening mechanisms and evaluating the fracture parameters.
JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN CERAMIC SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
Yunfu Ou, Longqiang Wu, Meir Hefetz, Carlos Gonzalez, Juan Jose Vilatela
Summary: This study presents a method for fabricating carbon nanotube fibre veils on woven carbon fibre/epoxy composite laminates and investigates the effects of interleaf thickness and degree of infiltration on interlaminar properties. The interlaminar fracture toughness under different loading conditions is analyzed, and the failure and toughening mechanisms are systematically studied. The experimental results show that the toughening effects of CNT veils depend on their thickness and degree of resin infiltration, observed by electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The mode I interlaminar fracture toughness increases with increasing CNT veil thickness up to 10 μm, but decreases at 15 μm, while the mode II fracture toughness improves with increasing thickness of CNT veils. The figure of merit for interlaminar reinforcement is significantly high at 58.5, surpassing the current state-of-the-art.
COMPOSITES PART A-APPLIED SCIENCE AND MANUFACTURING
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Benjamin C. White, Anthony Garland, Brad L. Boyce
Summary: As 3D printing technology advances, the accessibility of structural lattice metamaterials increases, requiring a better understanding of their fracture behavior. Interpenetrating lattices, created by weaving physically separate lattices together, offer a promising way to enhance fracture toughness by increasing the fracture process zone size and introducing unique toughening mechanisms. These lattices display a rising resistance-curve behavior, with significantly higher toughness than the initiation toughness needed to start a crack. In certain topologies, the toughness of interpenetrating lattices can be five times greater than that of their corresponding solid base material, and the toughening effect can be customized by controlling the mechanical mismatch of the constituent sub-lattices.
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Tony Wente, Xinyu Mao, Danielle Zeng, Homa Torab, Jeff Dahl, Xinran Xiao
Summary: Fiber reinforced composite materials are highly sought after for their high specific strength and stiffness in lightweighting components for next generation vehicles. However, weaknesses in interlaminar strength and delamination issues are often present. Quasi-3D (Q3D) braided composites aim to address these issues by physically connecting plies through fiber tows, resulting in higher interlaminar strength. Studies on UD and Q3D carbon composites were conducted to assess their in-plane isotropy, with Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness tests performed on the samples.
JOURNAL OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
Zhen Wang, Yan Li, Haoyun Tu
Summary: In this study, repeatable self-healing carbon-epoxy composites were manufactured by adjusting the parameters of microcapsules and resin, achieving continuous healing at the same location and significantly improving the fracture toughness of the material.
COMPOSITES PART A-APPLIED SCIENCE AND MANUFACTURING
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Jared S. Aaldenberg, Emily M. Aaldenberg, Catalin R. Picu, Vineet Negi, Peter J. Lezzi
Summary: This paper presents a simple method for measuring the Mode I fracture toughness, K-IC, of glass using the double cantilever beam (DCB) geometry. An inert atmosphere is used to prevent subcritical crack growth and pin the crack during the specimen's failure. Experimental results show good agreement between the K-IC values measured by this method and the published literature values for selected glasses. The applicability of an analytical stress intensity factor solution based on crack length, crack front curvature, and crack guiding groove height is confirmed through experimental data and finite element analysis. The crack front curvature observed experimentally is predicted using finite element modeling based on the geometry of the DCB specimen.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
M. Pahlavani, D. Rahmatabadi, M. Ahmadi, R. Hashemi
Summary: This paper investigates the microstructure, fracture behavior, and mechanical properties of a three-layered Al/Mg-Li/Al composite fabricated through the CRB process. The study found that the elongation of grains in the rolling direction increases as the thickness of the composite decreases, leading to a reduction in ductility and an uncertain relationship between fracture toughness and sample thickness or applied strain.
MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING A-STRUCTURAL MATERIALS PROPERTIES MICROSTRUCTURE AND PROCESSING
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Min Li, Zhe Che, Shaokai Wang, Yubo Zhou, Hao Fu, Yizhuo Gu, Wei Zhang
Summary: By implanting fine z-pins on the in-plane fibers, the interlaminar fracture toughness of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites can be significantly improved, while maintaining high retentions of in-plane mechanical properties. The mechanical properties of the carbon fiber pins play a crucial role in enhancing the composite laminate.
MATERIALS & DESIGN
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
Thomas W. Loh, Raj B. Ladani, Adrian Orifici, Everson Kandare
Summary: This paper presents a new multi-functional composite system that combines ultra-high interlaminar fracture toughness with exceptional repair efficiency and is seamlessly integrated into the braiding process for rapid preform manufacture. The repair agent EMAA is shown to significantly improve the interlaminar fracture toughness while enabling full recovery of fracture properties through a thermal repair process. The geometric shape and spatial distribution of EMAA strongly influence crack initiation and propagation resistance, with a new strategy developed to produce a 3D fused EMAA network for effective delivery into delamination cracks and greater than 100% recovery to steady-state fracture toughness following repair.
COMPOSITES PART A-APPLIED SCIENCE AND MANUFACTURING
(2021)