Development and Properties of Fiber Metal Laminate Used in Aircraft Wing by Using Epoxy-Novolac

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to reduce weight and to improve the mechanical properties of aircraft wing by using fiber metal laminates (FMLs). They are layered materials based on stacked arrangements of aluminum alloy layers and fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) layers. They have benefits over both aluminum and fiber reinforced composites. In this study, seven layers consist of 2024-T3 aluminum alloy reinforced by carbon and glass fibers bonded using blend of epoxy-novolac as adhesion, were used to produce the Carbon Glass Reinforced Aluminum Laminates (CAGRALLs) as FMLs. The mechanical properties (tensile, flexural, impact and fatigue) of CAGRALLs are experimentally investigated. The results revealed that CAGRALLs give good mechanical properties because of increasing in tensile strength, yield strength, elastic modulus, elongation at fracture, flexural modulus and impact toughness except flexural strength comparing than Carbon with Glass Reinforced Aluminum (CACAGRALLs) and Carbon with Jute Reinforced Aluminum (CAJURALLs) using epoxy. The increasing in layers led to weaken adhesion between layers of FMLs that led to decrease almost mechanical properties. The fabricated CAGRALLs showed higher fatigue strength than Aramid Reinforced Aluminum Laminates (ARALL) and lower density than aluminum alloy 2024-T3 and steel that used in manufacturing of aircraft wing.