Abstract
Abstract In this article, we proposed a novel but simple multilayer resin film infusion-compressive molding (MLRFI-CM) manufacturing process that can harness the resin shear flow to architect hierarchical carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites with tunable 1D nanocarbons orientation. Via this novel process, we demonstrated that the orientation of two typical 1D nanocarbons, namely, the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs), can be successfully tuned via altering the infusion time and that the tuning strategy is especially effective toward CNTs. Further, the structure-performance relationships between the electrical conductivity/interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and filler through-thickness orientation of the hierarchical CFRP composites is explored and compared. In the best case, with only 0.3 wt% of CNTs, the ILSS of CFRP composites revealed an increase of 19.7%, and the through-thickness conductivity demonstrated an increase of 38%.
Highlights
Due to the lack of reinforcing carbon fiber in the interlaminar region, the electrical performance of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates on through-thickness direction is limited by highly insulative epoxy matrix
In this article, we aim to innovate a multilayer resin film infusion (MLRFI)-compressive molding (CM) process, with an attempt to precisely tune the orientation of two typical 1D nanocarbons, namely, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs), along the CFRP through-thickness direction
In order to better illustrate the structure-performance relation in the CNTs- and CNFs-incorporated composites, the morphologies of CNTs and CNFs as well as the dispersion state of CNTs and CNFs within the resin film applied in this research are characterized
Summary
Due to the lack of reinforcing carbon fiber in the interlaminar region, the electrical performance of CFRP laminates on through-thickness direction is limited by highly insulative (usually within 10−14 ∼ 10−13 S/m) epoxy matrix. It poses challenges on the CFRP composites in the field of electrostatic protection and other structural-functional integrated applications such as electrothermal deicing [1,2] and composite health monitoring [3,4]. Introducing proper interlaminar reinforcements that can simultaneously enhance the throughthickness mechanical and electrical performance is of essential importance. Most of the common techniques (z-pin [5,6], fiber stitching [7,8], etc.) fail to reconcile the in-plane and throughthickness properties due to damaged fiber integrity or increased fiber-volume fraction resulting in the degradation of in-plane properties
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