TY - JOUR
T1 - The electric field alignment of short carbon fibres to enhance the toughness of epoxy composites
AU - Ravindran, Anil R.
AU - Ladani, Raj B.
AU - Wu, Shuying
AU - Kinloch, Anthony J.
AU - Wang, Chun H.
AU - Mouritz, Adrian P.
PY - 2018/3
Y1 - 2018/3
N2 - An investigation is presented on increasing the fracture toughness of epoxy/short carbon fibre (SCF) composites by alignment of SCFs using an externally applied alternating current (AC) electric field. Firstly, the effects of SCF length, SCF content and AC electric field strength on the rotation of the SCFs suspended in liquid (i.e. uncured) epoxy resin are investigated. Secondly, it is shown the mode I fracture toughness of the cured epoxy composites increases with the weight fraction of SCFs up to a limiting value (5 wt%). Thirdly, the toughening effect is greater when the SCFs are aligned in the composite normal to the direction of crack growth. The SCFs increases the fracture toughness by inducing multiple intrinsic and extrinsic toughening mechanisms, which are identified. Based on the identified toughening mechanisms, an analytical model is proposed to predict the enhancement to the fracture toughness due to AC electric field alignment of the SCFs.
AB - An investigation is presented on increasing the fracture toughness of epoxy/short carbon fibre (SCF) composites by alignment of SCFs using an externally applied alternating current (AC) electric field. Firstly, the effects of SCF length, SCF content and AC electric field strength on the rotation of the SCFs suspended in liquid (i.e. uncured) epoxy resin are investigated. Secondly, it is shown the mode I fracture toughness of the cured epoxy composites increases with the weight fraction of SCFs up to a limiting value (5 wt%). Thirdly, the toughening effect is greater when the SCFs are aligned in the composite normal to the direction of crack growth. The SCFs increases the fracture toughness by inducing multiple intrinsic and extrinsic toughening mechanisms, which are identified. Based on the identified toughening mechanisms, an analytical model is proposed to predict the enhancement to the fracture toughness due to AC electric field alignment of the SCFs.
KW - A: Discontinuous reinforcement
KW - B: Fracture toughness
KW - C: Short carbon fibres
KW - D: Epoxy polymer
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85039157751&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP140100778
U2 - 10.1016/j.compositesa.2017.12.006
DO - 10.1016/j.compositesa.2017.12.006
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85039157751
SN - 1359-835X
VL - 106
SP - 11
EP - 23
JO - Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing
JF - Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing
ER -