Interlayer Hybridization of Virgin Carbon, Recycled Carbon and Natural Fiber Laminates

Peter Wilson,Alon Ratner,Frank Syred,Stuart Coles,Gary Stocker,Kerry Kirwan

doi:10.3390/ma13214955

Abstract

To meet sustainability objectives in the transport sector, natural fiber (NF) and recycled carbon fiber (RCF) have been developed, although they have been typically limited to low to medium performance components. This work has considered the effect of interlayer hybridization of woven NF and non-woven RCF with woven virgin carbon fibers (VCF) on the mechanical and damping performance of hybrid laminates, produced using double bag vacuum infusion (DBVI). The mean damping ratio of the pure laminates showed a trend of NF>RCF>VCF, which was inversely proportional to their modulus. The tensile, flexural and damping properties of hybrid laminates were dominated by the outermost ply. The VCF-RCF and VCF-NF hybrid laminates showed a comparatively greater mean damping ratio. The results of this work demonstrate a method for the uptake of alternative materials with a minimal impact on the mechanical properties and improved damping performance.

Highlights

Spurred by an increasingly global consensus on sustainability targets, the transport sector has focused on lightweighting as a means of reducing vehicle emissions
Reinforcements such as sustainably sourced natural fibers and recycled carbon fibers have been investigated as a means of reducing the environmental impact of end-of-life disposal and enabling closed-loop recycling circularity in the composites industry [2,3,4,5]
This study examines the performance of pure and hybridized laminates, containing two reinforcements from virgin woven carbon fiber, recycled non-woven carbon fiber and natural fibers, manufactured via a double bag vacuum infusion (DBVI) technique

Summary

Introduction

Spurred by an increasingly global consensus on sustainability targets, the transport sector has focused on lightweighting as a means of reducing vehicle emissions. While lightweighting has been a key part of efforts to improve the sustainability of the transportation sector, the production of large volumes of synthetic fiber-reinforced plastics has presented environmental and legislative challenges for dealing with industrial waste that is typically disposed of by landfill. Reinforcements such as sustainably sourced natural fibers and recycled carbon fibers have been investigated as a means of reducing the environmental impact of end-of-life disposal and enabling closed-loop recycling circularity in the composites industry [2,3,4,5].

Methods

Results

Conclusion