Abstract

The current study investigates the low-velocity impact behavior of newly developed ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber-reinforced polymer composites (FRPCs) manufactured at room temperature with an innovative liquid methylmethacrylate (MMA) thermoplastic resin, Elium®. Because of the extremely high molecular mass, UHMWPE fibers exhibit outstanding impact strength and energy dissipation properties. Thus, to evaluate the out-of-plane mechanical properties of the newly developed laminates and compare the results with those of traditional thermosetting and thermoplastic laminates, impact tests at various energy levels from 15 J to 40 J are conducted. Different impact characteristics, namely maximum load, displacement, absorbed energy, structural integrity, and damage failure modes are analyzed for Elium®-based laminates and compared with those of thermosetting laminates fabricated with UHMWPE fibers. During the tests, the thermoplastic composite laminate showed a ductile behavior and developed extended plasticity. The results revealed that the newly developed thermoplastic structures at room temperature can obtain higher impact load and lower absorbed energy up to 40% compared to those thermosetting counterparts. Furthermore, it was found that replacing the thermosetting resin with the thermoplastic resin significantly improved the structural integrity of the laminate by 240%.

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