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INTERLAMINAR PROPERTIES OF 3D TEXTILE COMPOSITES
[Thesis]. Manchester, UK: The University of Manchester; 2016.
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Abstract
Multilayer composite materials have a high tendency to interlaminar delamination when they are subjected to out-of-plane loading, because of their low-stiffness in the through-thickness (T-T) direction. The main aim of this research was to improve the interlaminar fracture toughness (IFT) of textile composites by using stitching as a T-T reinforcement technique. The intention was to provide greater delamination resistance and also to enhance the interlaminar fracture toughness between adjacent layers. In this research, E-glass 2x2 twill weave structure fabric layers and an epoxy resin were chosen as the base materials. Three different types of stitching; including the commonly-used modified lock-stitch and orthogonal-stitch (OS) geometries, the single-yarn orthogonal-stitch (SOS) and a newly-developed double-yarn orthogonal-stitch (DOS), as well as five different stitch densities were used to reinforce the multilayer preform lay-ups. The resin infusion moulding method was used to manufacture the E-glass/Epoxy 3D textile composites. The effect of stitched reinforcement on the Mode I-IFT mechanism was examined by performing double cantilever beam (DCB) tests and the Mode II-IFT mechanism by performing four-point bend end-notched flexure (4ENF) tests, respectively. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging techniques were used to study the fracture surfaces of the stitched composite specimens, to assess the improvement in IFT mechanisms imparted by the stitched reinforcement used. The effect of stitching was analysed by comparing the various stitching geometries, stitch densities and the mechanical properties highlighted by the Mode I-IFT and Mode II-IFT results. It was found that the use of the novel double-yarn orthogonal-stitch (DOS) reinforcement allied with the use of high stitch densities gave the greatest improvement on both Mode I-IFT and Mode II-IFT tests. Moreover, in every case, the use of DOS and high stitch densities gave a significant improvement of 74.5% in Mode I-IFT and 18.3% for Mode II-IFT tests when compared with unstitched samples. It has been shown that the novel DOS stitch geometry yields significant benefits over established stitching techniques in respect of stitched reinforcement for laminated composite preforms. Besides this, the double column 5x5 mm stitch pattern reveals the highest delamination resistance performance among all the stitching formations tested for Mode I-IFT and II-IFT.
Layman's Abstract
Multilayer composite materials have a high tendency to interlaminar delamination when they are subjected to out-of-plane loading, because of their low-stiffness in the through-thickness (T-T) direction. The main aim of this research was to improve the interlaminar fracture toughness (IFT) of textile composites by using stitching as a T-T reinforcement technique. The intention was to provide greater delamination resistance and also to enhance the interlaminar fracture toughness between adjacent layers. In this research, E-glass 2x2 twill weave structure fabric layers and an epoxy resin were chosen as the base materials. Three different types of stitching; including the commonly-used modified lock-stitch and orthogonal-stitch (OS) geometries, the single-yarn orthogonal-stitch (SOS) and a newly-developed double-yarn orthogonal-stitch (DOS), as well as five different stitch densities were used to reinforce the multilayer preform lay-ups. The resin infusion moulding method was used to manufacture the E-glass/Epoxy 3D textile composites. The effect of stitched reinforcement on the Mode I-IFT mechanism was examined by performing double cantilever beam (DCB) tests and the Mode II-IFT mechanism by performing four-point bend end-notched flexure (4ENF) tests, respectively. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging techniques were used to study the fracture surfaces of the stitched composite specimens, to assess the improvement in IFT mechanisms imparted by the stitched reinforcement used. The effect of stitching was analysed by comparing the various stitching geometries, stitch densities and the mechanical properties highlighted by the Mode I-IFT and Mode II-IFT results. It was found that the use of the novel double-yarn orthogonal-stitch (DOS) reinforcement allied with the use of high stitch densities gave the greatest improvement on both Mode I-IFT and Mode II-IFT tests. Moreover, in every case, the use of DOS and high stitch densities gave a significant improvement of 74.5% in Mode I-IFT and 18.3% for Mode II-IFT tests when compared with unstitched samples. It has been shown that the novel DOS stitch geometry yields significant benefits over established stitching techniques in respect of stitched reinforcement for laminated composite preforms. Besides this, the double column 5x5 mm stitch pattern reveals the highest delamination resistance performance among all the stitching formations tested for Mode I-IFT and II-IFT.