Improvement of the mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of carbon fiber composite reinforced with electrospun nylon nanofiber

Abstract

The effect of nylon 6/6 electrospun nanofibers interleaved in carbon fiber/epoxy laminates is highlighted in this article. A layer of nylon nanofibers is spun directly on the surface of the carbon fabric which is subsequently used to produce the laminates. The nylon fibers were characterized using SEM, TGA and DSC analysis. The results showed homogeneous fiber size distribution and excellent thermal stability. The effect of the nylon nanofiber layer on interlaminar fracture toughness of carbon fiber/epoxy composites was studied using DCB test. The results showed major improvement in interlaminar fracture toughness. Furthermore, the thickness of the interleaved nanofiber layer is studied and found to have major role on interlaminar fracture toughness. The toughening mechanism is studied and discussed using SEM analysis.