Abstract This work shows the fractographic study of fractured surfaces resulted from tensile tests of thermoplastic composites based on poly(propylene-co-ethylene) (PP-PE) and modified PP-PE copolymers reinforced with continuous carbon fibers (CF). The PP-PE matrix was modified with two agents called AM1 (based on maleic anhydride) and AM2 (containing an elastomeric agent), respectively. Three different laminates - CF/PP-PE, CF/PP-PE(AM1) and CF/PP-PE(AM2) - were manufactured. The best tensile strength and elastic modulus results were determined for the CF/PP-PE(AM1) laminate (507.6 ± 11.8 MPa and 54.7 ± 2.4 GPa, respectively). These results show that the AM1 agent contributed to increase the physicochemical interaction between the CF and the PP-PE matrix. This condition provided a better loading transfer from matrix to the reinforcement. Scanning electron microscopy analyses of the fracture surfaces show the fractographic aspects of the samples and allow evaluating the fiber/matrix-interfacial adhesion. Poor adhesion is observed for the CF/PP-PE and CF/PP-PE(AM2) laminates with the presence of fiber impressions on the polymer rich regions and fiber surfaces totally unprotected of polymer matrix. On the other side, a more consistent adhesion is observed for the CF/PP-PE(AM1) laminate. This result is in agreement with the tensile test data and show the presence of a good interaction between the laminate constituents. The correlation of the mechanical and fractographic results with the curves of complex viscosity versus temperature of the studied polymer matrices shows that the matrix viscosity did not affect the wettability of the reinforcement.

A fractografia consiste no estudo detalhado da morfologia da superfície de fratura de materiais. Para isto, a técnica de microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) é usualmente utilizada para determinar a causa de falha e a relação do modo de falha com a microestrutura do material em análise. Essas informações permitem estabelecer analogia entre estrutura, propriedade e processamento do material com a iniciação e a propagação da falha. Neste estudo, a análise fractográfica é utilizada para investigar os aspectos que caracterizaram a falha por delaminação em Modo II de laminados poliméricos de uso estrutural. Para isto, espécimes com um inserto de Teflon® introduzido no plano médio de uma das extremidades do laminado (End-Notched) foram submetidos ao ensaio de carregamento em flexão em quatro pontos. Os espécimes foram preparados a partir de um laminado fabricado em autoclave, com camadas (0º, 90º) de material pré-impregnado de tecido bidirecional em estilo plain weave de fibras de carbono IM7/resina epóxi M21. Os resultados da análise mostram que a superfície de fratura é muito irregular, com a visualização de fibras e impressões de fibras na matriz. Aspectos fractográficos de cúspides e formatos de concha, originados durante o cisalhamento da matriz polimérica, são também observados.

Fractography involves a detailed study of the fractured surface morphology of materials. Usually the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) technique is applied to investigate the cause of failure and the relationship between failure modes and the microstructure of the material under investigation. This information allows one to relate structure, processing methods and materials properties with the onset in their failure and propagation. In this study, fractographical analysis is employed to investigate the failure aspects induced by Mode II delamination of structural fiber-reinforced polymer composite laminates. Samples with Teflon® inserted at the mid-plane of one end of the laminate (end-notched specimens) were subjected to four-point bending (4-ENF) test. The samples were prepared from laminates manufactured in autoclave with prepreg layers (0º, 90º) of IM7 plain weave woven fabric fiber architecture and M21-epoxy resin. The results indicate that the fracture surface is very irregular where fibers and fiber prints at the matrix are visualized, along with fractographic aspects named cusps and scallops, formed during the polymeric matrix shearing.

Nanostructured polymer composites have opened up new perspectives for multifunctional materials. In particular, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) present potential applications in order to improve mechanical and electrical performance in composites with aerospace application. The combination of epoxy resin with multiwalled carbon nanotubes results in a new functional material with enhanced electromagnetic properties. The objective of this work was the processing of radar absorbing materials based on formulations containing different quantities of carbon nanotubes in an epoxy resin matrix. To reach this objective the adequate concentration of CNTs in the resin matrix was determined. The processed structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, rheology, thermal and reflectivity in the frequency range of 8.2 to 12.4 GHz analyses. The microwave attenuation was up to 99.7%, using only 0.5% (w/w) of CNT, showing that these materials present advantages in performance associated with low additive concentrations.

Muitos componentes das modernas aeronaves estão sendo manufaturados em compósitos poliméricos. Laminados de resina epóxi modificada reforçada com fibras de carbono contínuas são empregados em estruturas primárias e secundárias para reduzir o peso e melhorar o desempenho operacional. Porém, se ocorrer uma falha circunstancial, o processo de fratura desses laminados é complexo e pode envolver mecanismos de danos interlaminares. A delaminação é a descontinuidade interlaminar que pode se propagar de forma catastrófica com a aplicação de cargas mecânicas. O ensaio de corpos de prova denominado de Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) é o método mais utilizado para determinar a tenacidade à fratura em Modo I de compósitos estruturais. Neste trabalho, amostras preparadas de um laminado de tecido bidirecional, estilo plain weave, foram submetidas ao carregamento estático de delaminação em Modo I, à temperatura ambiente. A análise fractográfica das superfícies delaminadas foi realizada por microscopia eletrônica de varredura. Os resultados mostram que o processo de fratura se inicia nas bolsas de resina após um inserto de Teflon® e se propaga ao longo das regiões ricas em resina posicionadas nos interstícios de entrelaçamento das mechas da trama e da urdidura. Os principais aspectos fractográficos revelados são identificados, documentados e discutidos neste trabalho.

Many components of modern aircrafts are now manufactured from polymer composites. Reinforced laminates with continuous carbon fibers and modified epoxy resin are employed in primary and secondary structures to reduce weight and improve the aircraft performance. However, if a circumstantial failure happens, the complex fracture process of the laminates may involve interlaminar damage mechanisms. The delamination is the interlaminar discontinuity which may propagate catastrophically with the application of mechanical loads. The Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) is the most used method to determine the Mode I fracture toughness of structural composites. In this work samples prepared from a plain weave fabric laminate were submitted to Mode I delamination under static load at room temperature. The analysis of the delaminated surfaces was performed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the fracture process initiates at the resin pockets after a Teflon® insert and propagates along the resin rich areas at the crossing of weft and warp tows. The main fractographical aspects revealed are identified, reported and discussed.

Abstract: Aramid fiber reinforced polymer composites have been used in a wide variety of applications, such as aerospace, marine, sporting equipment and in the defense sector, due to their outstanding properties at low density. The most widely adopted procedure to investigate the repair of composites has been by repairing damages simulated in composite specimens. This work presents the structural repair influence on tensile and fatigue properties of a typical aramid fiber/epoxy composite used in the aerospace industry. According to this work, the aramid/epoxy composites with and without repair present tensile strength values of 618 and 680MPa, respectively, and tensile modulus of 26.5 and 30.1 GPa, respectively. Therefore, the fatigue results show that in loads higher than 170 MPa, both composites present a low life cycle (lower than 200,000 cycles) and the repaired aramid/epoxy composite presented low fatigue resistance in low and high cycle when compared with non-repaired composite. With these results, it is possible to observe a decrease of the measured mechanical properties of the repaired composites.

The interlaminar stresses are confined to a region near the free edge. Therefore, the laminate stacking sequence and the free edge finishing are some of the factors that affect the strength of the laminate and limit its life. The use of molded edges eliminates the need for trimming and machining the laminates edges thus improving productivity. However, this fabrication technique may have a detrimental effect on the laminate strength for certain stacking sequences. This effect in the presence of moisture has not been characterized. This work presents the results of a comparative study of the resistance to delamination of laminates with machined edges and molded edges. Additionally, two environmental conditions were considered: dry laminates and laminates saturated with moisture. The tensile strength of the laminates were measured and micrographs were used to analyze the microstructure of the laminates near the free edges. It is concluded that the mechanical properties of advanced composites depend on the environmental conditions and the fabrication techniques used to produce the laminates. Therefore, it is necessary to account for these factors when experimentally determining the design allowables.