The effect of fiber orientation and stacking sequence on carbon/Kevlar/epoxy intraply hybrid composites under dynamic loading conditions

Abstract

AbstractThis work investigated the thermo‐mechanical behavior of (carbon/Kevlar) intraply hybrid composites. The carbon/Kevlar plies' orientation and sequential arrangement were varied. Carbon and Kevlar composites, as well as five different intraply hybrids (HFRPs) composite such as carbon‐0°/Kevlar‐90°, carbon‐45°/Kevlar‐135°, carbon‐90°/Kevlar‐0°, carbon/Kevlar (inter‐changing layer), and carbon/Kevlar‐45° (inter‐changing layer) composites, and a plain epoxy panel, have been developed. The thermo‐mechanical characteristics of the fabricated composites were estimated using a dynamic automated analyzer under changing mechanical and thermal load conditions. The DMA technique measured the HFRPs composite visco‐elastic parameters by increasing the temperature from 30°C to 150°C at frequencies ranging from 1 to 20 Hz. Flexural test characteristics for neat epoxy, carbon fiber‐reinforced composites, Kevlar fiber‐reinforced composites, and carbon/Kevlar fiber‐reinforced composites were estimated to aid the study. The experimentally measured versus analytically calculated viscoelastic parameters were related. The results revealed that carbon‐90° oriented in warp direction/Kevlar‐0° oriented in weft direction exhibited higher modulus and lower loss tangent followed by carbon/Kevlar plies oriented in alternate layers and carbon/Kevlar plies oriented in inter‐changing layers at 45°. Carbon‐0° introduced in the weft direction/ Kevlar‐90° introduced in the warp direction, and carbon‐45°/Kevlar‐135° exhibited intermediate storage and loss modulus and a moderate loss tangent at the various frequency levels considered in the study.