Abstract

It is well known that thermoplastic composite is vulnerable to impact fracture. Submicron glass fiber (sGF) was used to modify the matrix of chopped tape carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene composite. The impact resistance improved 20% and 7.4% coressponding to the dimeter sGF of 0.28 and 0.69 µm used in modified-composite. To shed light upon the mechanism of this improvement, the internal damage statement of post-impact specimens was observed by the CT scanner. The results pointed out that the increase of the impact resistance was due to the enlargement of delamination area under impact load. The micro droplet test and end notch flexure test suggest that the decrease of Mode II fracture toughness in modified-composite comes from narrowing the difference between the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) and the bending strength of matrix thanks to significant improving of IFSS with the addition of sGF while the flexural strength remains the unchanged. Consequently, the failure mode changed from debonding fiber/matrix in unmodified composite into brittle matrix failure in modified composite, resulting in the decrease of the Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness and the enlargement of delamination area. The stress transfer test also indicates that the modified composites is prone to the brittle matrix failure.

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