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Monitoring the Interface of Carbon Fibre and Epoxy Microcomposites Using Raman Spectroscopy with Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes as Strain Sensors

Jin, Siyu

[Thesis]. Manchester, UK: The University of Manchester; 2014.

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Abstract

The interfacial micromechanics of both high modulus and low modulus carbon fibres have been investigated using Raman spectroscopy. The innovative step was to make low modulus carbon fibres more Raman active by coating them with SWNTs to act as as a strain sensor. Two types of SWNTs have been employed; namely HiPCO SWNTs and COOH SWNTs.Single fibre deformation tests were carried out and the Raman band shift rates with respect to fibre strain have been determined. Meanwhile, different SWNTs coating methods have been investigated. The method of adding COOH SWNTs into the silane layer and within a hot cured epoxy layer was found to generate the highest band shift rates. Furthermore, an investigation of the effect of SWNTs on the strength of the interface was also carried out. A coating of COOH SWNTs was found to significantly improve the interfacial shear strength.Micromechanical tests have been carried out and the stress transfer between the carbon fibres and an epoxy resin was monitored using three different model composite geometries; namely microdroplet-fibre, a film-fibre and a standard fragmentation approach. The result of interfacial shear stress determined from microdroplet-fibre method varied and was found to be highly dependent on the droplet size and shape; this gave the lowest values of interfacial shear stress (ISS). The method of film-fibre obtained an intermediate ISS value which is between that from the microdroplet model test and the fragmentation test. The standard fragmentation test using Raman technique gives the highest ISS and HiPCO SWNTs were found to be a better strain sensor without affecting the original interfacial properties.

Bibliographic metadata

Type of resource:
Content type:
Form of thesis:
Type of submission:
Degree type:
Doctor of Philosophy
Degree programme:
PhD Materials
Publication date:
Location:
Manchester, UK
Total pages:
305
Abstract:
The interfacial micromechanics of both high modulus and low modulus carbon fibres have been investigated using Raman spectroscopy. The innovative step was to make low modulus carbon fibres more Raman active by coating them with SWNTs to act as as a strain sensor. Two types of SWNTs have been employed; namely HiPCO SWNTs and COOH SWNTs.Single fibre deformation tests were carried out and the Raman band shift rates with respect to fibre strain have been determined. Meanwhile, different SWNTs coating methods have been investigated. The method of adding COOH SWNTs into the silane layer and within a hot cured epoxy layer was found to generate the highest band shift rates. Furthermore, an investigation of the effect of SWNTs on the strength of the interface was also carried out. A coating of COOH SWNTs was found to significantly improve the interfacial shear strength.Micromechanical tests have been carried out and the stress transfer between the carbon fibres and an epoxy resin was monitored using three different model composite geometries; namely microdroplet-fibre, a film-fibre and a standard fragmentation approach. The result of interfacial shear stress determined from microdroplet-fibre method varied and was found to be highly dependent on the droplet size and shape; this gave the lowest values of interfacial shear stress (ISS). The method of film-fibre obtained an intermediate ISS value which is between that from the microdroplet model test and the fragmentation test. The standard fragmentation test using Raman technique gives the highest ISS and HiPCO SWNTs were found to be a better strain sensor without affecting the original interfacial properties.
Thesis main supervisor(s):
Language:
en

Institutional metadata

University researcher(s):

Record metadata

Manchester eScholar ID:
uk-ac-man-scw:219826
Created by:
Jin, Siyu
Created:
20th February, 2014, 13:47:44
Last modified by:
Jin, Siyu
Last modified:
30th April, 2014, 14:42:00

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