Abstract
In this study, the formability of woven carbon-fiber (CF)-reinforced polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) composite sheets in the solid-state thermoforming process were investigated, and the failure mechanisms were discussed. The formability of the woven CF/PEEK sheets were analyzed using flexural tests, Erichsen test, and microscopic observation. The results show that the formability of CF/PEEK sheets significantly increases as the temperature rises from 165 to 325 °C, and slightly decreases as the deformation speed rises from 2 to 120 mm/min. The deformation of the sheets is caused by plastic deformation, shear deformation and squeeze deformation, without plastic thinning and fiber slippage, which is due to the restriction of the solid matrix and locked fibers. Moreover, the wrinkles will cause fiber fracture at lower temperatures and delamination at higher temperatures. At higher temperatures, the wrinkles mainly occur at the position with [0°/90°] fibers due to the squeezing of the matrix and fibers.
Highlights
In the last three decades carbon fiber (CF)-reinforced polymer composites (CFRP) have made their way into the aerospace and automotive industries as structural elements because of their high specific stiffness and strength [1,2,3]
The scanning electron microscope (SEM) samples were sprayed with gold and woven CF/PEEK are the same, both of them are 148 °C
The flexural modulus slightly decreases in the temperature range of 165–235 ◦ C, and significantly reduces as the temperature rises to 325 ◦ C
Summary
In the last three decades carbon fiber (CF)-reinforced polymer composites (CFRP) have made their way into the aerospace and automotive industries as structural elements because of their high specific stiffness and strength [1,2,3]. A pre-prepared sheet is the common form for CF/PEEK composites [8,9,10], and it is formed into the required part by solid-state thermoforming. Solid-state thermoforming [12,13] is a manufacturing method by heating CFRTP sheets to a pliable state, pressing the sheets against a cool mold, holding the formed sheet against the mold until cool. Compared with the traditional manufacturing methods, include compression molding, extrusion forming and tape winding [14,15,16], the thermoforming of solidified CFRTP sheets can reduce the production time and may increase
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