Investigation of Interlaminar Defects and their Influence on Interlaminar Strength

Abstract

In this paper, we directed our attention to the interlaminar defects and their influence on the interlaminar strengths. With the aid of a S-570 scanning electron microscope, the morphology and distribution of interlaminar defects were inspected and documented. According to their shape, size and cause of formation, the defects were classified into five types: flakiness void, irregular shaped debond, local imperfectly cured resin, debond in two multi-directional plies, and inhomogeneous fibers and the large scale debond by these fibers. The cause of defects formation was discussed by analyzing the manufacturing process of composites. The influence of defects on the interlaminar strength and its mechanism was analyzed experimentally and theoretically. The results indicate that these defects, with different effects, decrease the interlaminar strength because they form interlaminar cracks, and the interlaminar shear strength is less affected than interlaminar tensile strength, which is measured according to GB4944 test method. To comprehend defects distribution effect, a four-point-bending test method was introduced to measure the interlaminar peel strength, and a discussion was made on the correlation between the interlaminar tensile strength, interlaminar peel strength and in-plane transverse tensile strength. Finally the concept of interlaminar defect coefficient, which can be used to characterize the defects, was set up and the formula to calculate it was proposed.