Effects of Near Interfacial Microstructure on Interlaminar Fracture Toughness of Hybrid Metal-Polymer Composites

Abstract

ABSTRACTResults of detailed study on interlaminar fracture toughness of hybrid aramid-epoxy/aluminum laminate composites are presented. A fracture mechanics approach has been adopted and Mode-I, Mode-II tests for a wide range of loading rates have been used. Hybrid composite failure loci has been studied using SEM technique. Results were analyzed from the point of view of metal substrate/aramid fibre surface free energy effect on near interfacial (in the boundary layers) microstructure and fracture toughness of elastomer modified epoxy resins. It has been shown, that toughened epoxy resin morphology (rubber particles size and volume content) and, as a result, fracture resistance of the boundary layers were strongly dependent upon the adsorption processes, that could take place during adhesion contact formation and curing. To increase interfacial fracture toughness of hybrid composites due to the improvement of near interfacial resin microstructure and boundary layer fracture resistance, as for aluminum-epoxy and for aramid-epoxy failure loci, metal sheets/aramid fibres surface properties and interfacial residual thermal stresses should be optimized. The last result has been achieved by means of si lane primer treatment of aluminum laminates and tensile loading of cured composite.