Abstract
The purpose of this work was to determine the toughening mechanisms in interlayered carbonfiber/epoxy composites. The primary variables were: (1) the diameter of the interlayering particles; (2) the thickness of the interply; and (3) the ductility of the matrix resin. G IIC was measured and mechanisms of fracture and toughening were examined by transmission optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. In a ductile epoxy system, the particles acted primarily to maintain the thickness of the interlaminar region during processing. Mode II fracture toughness was found to increase linearly with interply thickness, regardless of particle incorporation. In two brittle systems, where plastic deformation ahead of the crack tip was limited, the particles toughened by two mechanisms, i.e. stress concentration induced plastic deformation and particle bridging. In the latter mechanism, the particles first initiated microcracks in the interlaminar region, then bridged the microcracks. During this bridging process, the particles absorbed energy through extensive plastic deformation. In the non-interlayered brittle-matrix systems, interply thickness played a limited role in affecting G IIC.
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