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Interlaminar fracture toughness behavior of electron‐beam cured carbon‐fiber reinforced epoxy–resin composites
Author(s) -
Pitarresi Giuseppe,
Alessi Sabina,
Tumino Davide,
Nowicki Andrzej,
Spadaro Giuseppe
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.22806
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , epoxy , curing (chemistry) , fracture toughness , toughness , delamination (geology) , composite number , paleontology , biology , subduction , tectonics
The work describes the preparation and physical‐mechanical characterization of unidirectional CFRP panels manufactured by an electron beam curing technique. Delamination fracture toughness in Mode I and II is investigated in order to evaluate the influence of fiber–matrix adhesion strength, matrix toughness and matrix crosslinking density as determined by the radiation curing process. A matrix system comprising a DGEBA epoxy monomer and an initiator of cationic polymerization have been used, with one batch of resin mixed with a PES monomer in order to enhance matrix toughness. Curing was achieved with a pulsed 10 MeV Electron Beam accelerator. Thermally cured composite systems have also been manufactured and tested for comparison. Results from double cantilever beam and end notched flexure delamination tests have been analyzed and correlated with results from short beam shear, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis tests and SEM micrographs of delaminated surfaces. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:1529–1542, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers