Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T19:52:17.086Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Fabrication and Characterization of Nanofiber Enhanced Prepregs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 February 2017

ABM Iftekharul Islam
Affiliation:
Department of Nanoengineering, JSNN, North Carolina A&T State University 2907 E Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC-27401
Ajit D. Kelkar*
Affiliation:
Department of Nanoengineering, JSNN, North Carolina A&T State University 2907 E Gate City Blvd, Greensboro, NC-27401
*
Get access

Abstract

Typically, composites are lightweight, and high strength and hence are attractive for use in aerospace, automotive applications. For most of the aerospace applications, laminated composites serve as a primary load carrying structure and are subjected to a variety of loadings including transverse impact and fatigue loadings. The typical laminated composites are weak in the transverse direction. Since laminated composites are weak in the transverse direction, when these laminates are subjected to transverse loading, most of the time interlaminar failure occurs in the form of delaminations. Conventional methods of preventing delaminations include improving the design and improving the matrix properties. Although, improving the composite design suppress delaminations to some extent, a substantial amount of compromise with other properties like increase of resin volume fraction, degradation of inplane properties, voids, distortion in fibers and laminate, an increase of cost or process complexities are common. The present day researchers are more focused on improving matrix by nanomaterials such as Carbon Nano Tube(CNT), though the cost is hampering its potential for an industrial prospect. Electrospun nanofibers are being considered as a cheap alternative for vapor grown CNTs and other nanomaterials which involve complex fabrication and application methods in the field of interlaminar reinforcement for polymer matrix composites. Most of the aerospace quality composites are manufactured using prepreg due to the higher percentage of fiber volume fraction and hence higher mechanical properties. Although, nanomaterials have been recognized as a major advancement for improvement of composite material properties, there has been very little effort to fabricate prepregs using nanofibers. The current research focuses on the challenges involved in the fabrication of nanofiber enhanced prepregs and process difficulties and possible solutions for fabricating electrospun nanofiber overlaid prepregs. The effects of heat treatment on electrospun nanofiber overlaid woven fabric on the mechanical properties of both glass and carbon are investigated. A novel technique is proposed for manufacturing of nanofiber engineered prepregs.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Mignery, L., Tan, T., and Sun, C., “The use of stitching to suppress delamination in laminated composites,” 1985.Google Scholar
Allegri, G., Yasaee, M., Partridge, I. K., and Hallett, S. R., “A novel model of delamination bridging via Z-pins in composite laminates,” Int. J. Solids Struct., vol. 51, no. 19–20, pp. 33143332, 2014.Google Scholar
Miravete, A., 3-D Textile Reinforcements in Composite Materials. CRC Press, 1999.Google Scholar
Pagano, N. J. and Pipes, R. B., “The Influence of Stacking Sequence on Laminate Strength,” J. Compos. Mater., vol. 5, pp. 5057, 1971.Google Scholar
Jones, R. M., “Delamination-Suppresion Concepts for Composite Laminate Free Edges,” Moscow Int. Compos. Conf., 1990.Google Scholar
Gause, L. and Alper, J., “Structural Properties of Braided Graphite/Epoxy Composites BT - Structural Properties of Braided Graphite/Epoxy Composites,” 1987.Google Scholar
Sun, C. T. and Chu, G. D., “Reducing Free Edge Effect on Laminate Strength by Edge Modification,” J. Compos. Mater., vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 142161, Feb. 1991.Google Scholar
CHAN, W. and OCHOA, O., “Suppression of edge delamination in composite laminates by terminating a critical ply near the edges,” in 29th Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1988.Google Scholar
Chan, W., “Design Approaches for Edge Delamination Resistance in Laminated Composites BT - Design Approaches for Edge Delamination Resistance in Laminated Composites,” 1991.Google Scholar
Aboura, Z., Khellil, K., Benzeggagh, L., Bouden, A., and Ayad, R., “A New Generation of 3D Composite Materials: Advantage and Disadvantage,” Group, pp. 473483, 2009.Google Scholar
Rachmadini, Y., Tan, V. B. C., and Tay, T. E., “Enhancement of Mechanical Properties of Composites through Incorporation of CNT in VARTM - A Review,” J. Reinf. Plast. Compos., vol. 29, no. 18, pp. 27822807, 2010.Google Scholar
Zhou, Y., a Baseer, M., Mahfuz, H., and Jeelani, S., “Fabrication and Evaluation on Nano-Phased Unidirectional Carbon Fiber Reinforced Epoxy.”Google Scholar
Shinde, D. K. and Kelkar, A. D., “SHORT BEAM STRENGTH OF LAMINATED FIBERGLASS COMPOSITE WITH AND WITHOUT ELECTOSPUN TEOS NANOFIBERS,” 2016.Google Scholar
Chen, Q. et al. ., “Fabrication and mechanical properties of hybrid multi-scale epoxy composites reinforced with conventional carbon fiber fabrics surface-attached with electrospun carbon nanofiber mats,” Compos. Part B Eng., vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 17, 2013.Google Scholar
Zhang, L., Aboagye, A., Kelkar, A., Lai, C., and Fong, H., “A review: Carbon nanofibers from electrospun polyacrylonitrile and their applications,” J. Mater. Sci., vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 463480, 2014.Google Scholar
Shinde, D. K. and Kelkar, A. D., “Effect of TEOS Electrospun Nanofiber Modified Resin on Interlaminar Shear Strength of Glass Fiber/Epoxy Composite,” World Acad. Sci. Eng. Technol. Int. J. Mater. Metall. Eng., vol. 1, no. 1, Jan. 2014.Google Scholar
Islam, A. I. and Kelkar, A. D., “Effect of Heat Treatment on Mechanical Properties of Laminated Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymeric Composites,” in IMECE2016-65206, 2016.Google Scholar
Liang, Z., Wang, B., and Zhang, C., “(19) United States (12),” 2009.Google Scholar