This study proposes a novel 3D star-shaped auxetic (3D-SAU) structure and investigates the mechanical behavior using experimental and numerical approaches. Three lattice structures have been initially additively-manufactured using 3D-SAU cell, as well as the conventional body-centered-cubic (BCC) and 3D re-entrant (3D-RE) structures. Quasi-static compressive and low-velocity impact (LVI) tests have been performed on those additively-manufactured structures, to characterize the mechanical properties. The experimental and numerical results indicate that 3D-SAU structure possesses a more stable and prolonged stress plateau stage than BCC and 3D-RE structures, demonstrating its superior protective capacity. Moreover, LVI test results reveal that the structures with auxetic effect exhibit lower peak forces and longer impact durations compared to BCC structure. Both auxetic structures are found to possess better energy-absorption capacity during high energy impact cases. Finally, a parametric study of design parameters has been performed for 3D-SAU structure through quasi-static compressive tests, to optimize its performance in protecting internal components.
Conductive hydrogels (CHs) have been widely used in the design of flexible strain electrodes due to their excellent physicochemical properties, such as large stretchability and high electrical conductivity. However, conductive hydrogels when aqueous solvents are used as the dispersion medium are subject to freezing and drying, which greatly limits their applications. In this study, we demonstrated an conductive hydrogel that is resistant to ambient temperature and highly stretchable by replacing part of the water in the synthesized polyacrylamide/poly(vinylpyrrolidone)/carbon nanotube hydrogel with glycerol through a simple solvent substitution strategy, which provides excellent temperature resistance and good stability without sacrificing the stretchability and conductivity. The conductive hydrogel is environmentally tolerant and is capable of effectively detecting physiological signals from the human body at both high and low temperatures.
Improvement of flame retardancy and anti-dripping properties of polypropylene composites via ecofriendly borax cross-linked lignocellulosic fiber
Sandeep Gairola, Shishir Sinha, Inderdeep Singh
doi:10.1016/j.compstruct.2024.118822
用硼砂交联木质纤维素纤维改善聚丙烯复合材料的阻燃和防滴性能
This research endeavour investigates the enhancement of flame retardancy in natural fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites through boron-based cross-linking. Jute-sisal fabric was treated with borax and subsequently incorporated into a polypropylene matrix to develop flame-retardant composites. The borax-treated fabric exhibited significantly improved flame resistance, as evidenced by a 25.28% increase in limiting oxygen index (LOI), a 60.16% reduction in peak heat release rate (pHRR), and a 3.59% decrease in average heat release rate (av-HRR) compared to the untreated fabric. Similarly, the developed composites demonstrated enhanced thermal stability and flame retardancy, with a 22.01% increase in LOI, a 22.29% reduction in pHRR, and a 22.23% decrease in av-HRR compared to composites reinforced with untreated fibers. The dimensional thermal stability (DTS) of the composites, assessed by heat deflection temperature and coefficient of thermal expansion, was also improved with the incorporation of borax-modified fibers. Chemical and morphological analysis of the char residues of the treated fibers revealed a compact fibrous structure, which likely contributes to the enhanced flame retardancy by forming a protective char layer that insulates the underlying material and hinders heat and mass transfer.
Topology optimization method for light-weight design of three-dimensional continuous fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) structures
Yongjia Dong, Hongling Ye, Yang Xiao, Jicheng Li, Weiwei Wang
doi:10.1016/j.compstruct.2024.118819
三维连续纤维增强聚合物(cfrp)结构轻量化设计的拓扑优化方法
Continuous fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) exhibit excellent mechanical properties and designability, offering more opportunities for achieving better structural performance through optimization. However, the high non-convexity of the concurrent optimization model may result in a suboptimal design. In this paper, a novel topology optimization method for three-dimensional CFRP structures is proposed. The light-weight optimization model with compliance constraint is formulated and solved to obtain an optimal topology and spatial fiber orientation. A local coordinate system is established based on the vectors of principal stress and fiber orientation, the interpolation method is presented to control fiber design variables during iteration, reducing the possibility of local optima. Topology and fiber orientation design variables are updated through the method of moving asymptotes (MMA) after sensitivity analysis. Numerical examples are offered to demonstrate the applicability of proposed method. The influence of different initial fiber orientations, mesh sizes and compliance constraints on the optimization results are discussed. Furthermore, the interpolation strategy is also extended to multi-loaded problems, with effectiveness evaluated through a numerical example. The proposed method offers theoretic support for light-weight design and fiber paths planning of three-dimensional CFRP structures.
A numerical method for fatigue accumulation of in laminated composites is developed in this paper. Extended finite element method (XFEM) and cohesive element are integrated into a numerical program for modelling intralaminar matrix cracking and delamination in composite laminates, respectively. A damage-mechanics-based fatigue model is also introduced into the numerical scheme. Pure modes fatigue tests are used for the identification of fatigue parameters. The simulation of open hole tensile test is then performed to investigate the fatigue behaviors of composite laminates. The numerical damage distribution aligns with prior test records, while the predicted fatigue life is consistent with the referenced data. The fast crack propagation observed in the reference is also captured. This study demonstrates that the proposed numerical method can predict the fatigue initiation and evolution of multi-cracks under mixed mode loading. This paper introduces a convenient approach to effectively simulate multiple fatigue cracks in composite laminates.
A comparative study of 3D woven variable-thickness composite structures with reduced yarns and varied weft sizes under cantilever loading
Zengfei Liu, Jingran Ge, Yang Sun, Binbin Zhang, Xiaodong Liu, Jun Liang
doi:10.1016/j.compositesa.2024.108675
悬臂载荷下减少纱线和不同纬纱尺寸的三维变厚编织复合材料结构的对比研究
In this paper, two types of 3D woven variable-thickness composite structures are designed by reducing yarns and varying weft sizes with the same weave patterns. The mesoscale geometric morphology of two kinds of variable-thickness composite structures is observed by the optical microscope. The cantilever loading tests of the variable-thickness composite structures combined with DIC and strain gauges were carried out, and the strain distribution was determined using finite element analysis. The differences in the mechanical properties and failure mechanisms of woven variable-thickness composite structures with different preform manufacturing processes are comparatively investigated through the surface strain field evolution process and fracture morphology analysis of the specimens. The results show that the varied weft yarn size variable-thickness structures maintain the yarn continuity compared to the reduced yarn structures, but the stiffness and strength are weaker. This study provides mechanical property data support for process design optimization of aero-engine fan blades.
Characterization of damage in non-crimp fabric glass fiber-reinforced reactive thermoplastic composites at low temperature using an in-situ digital imaging technique
Erli Shi, John Montesano
doi:10.1016/j.compositesa.2024.108674
使用原位数字成像技术表征无卷曲织物玻璃纤维增强反应性热塑性复合材料在低温下的损伤
An in-situ digital imaging technique was developed to characterize damage in non-crimp fabric glass fiber/reactive thermoplastic cross-ply laminates subjected to tensile loading at −50 °C. A custom algorithm was developed to automatically detect the initiation and growth of 90° tow cracks, matrix cracks, and 0° tow cracks through image stacking, shift-correction, and thresholding. The laminates exhibited four stages of deformation/damage, including linear elastic, onset/growth of 90° fiber tow cracks, onset/growth of 0° fiber tow cracks, and progressive failure of 0° fiber tows. Although at low temperature the effective laminate strength and stiffness increased by 4 % and 13 %, respectively, damage initiated sooner and propagated at a higher rate leading to a 60 % increase in crack density at saturation. The digital imaging technique proved to effectively detect local damage in the glass fiber/thermoplastic laminates, which led to a deeper understanding of their low-temperature deformation response, damage characteristics, and damage tolerance.
Experimental study on circumferential compression behavior of large-diameter bamboo winding composite pipe (BWCP)
Jin Xia, Yu Zhou, Yue Chen, Qingang Ma, Jialin Dong
doi:10.1016/j.compositesb.2024.112082
大直径竹缠绕复合管周向压缩性能试验研究
Bamboo winding composite pipe (BWCP) is a new type of environmentally friendly pipe material that uses bamboo as the base material. In this study, the circumferential compressive performance of large-diameter BWCP (inner diameter ≥ 1 m) was investigated under various inner diameter and wall thickness conditions through parallel plate loading tests. The results showed that the initial ring stiffness of BWCP increased with wall thickness, rising from approximately 5 kN/m2 at 42 mm thickness to 25 kN/m2 at 67 mm when the inner diameter was 1.4 m. Conversely, the ring stiffness declined as inner diameter increased. When the wall thickness was approximately 52 mm, the initial ring stiffness dropped from about 18 kN/m2 at an inner diameter of 1.0 m to around 3.3 kN/m2 at 1.6 m. This decline became more pronounced with larger diameters, with a 50% reduction from 1.2 m to 1.4 m and a 60% reduction from 1.4 m to 1.6 m. BWCP demonstrated strong toughness and resistance to deformation under external pressure, with load-displacement curves showing a distinct yield plateau and specimens exhibiting ductile failure characteristics. After unloading, the pipes retained over 95% of their original inner diameter. Due to the layered anisotropic nature of BWCP, a single elastic modulus does not accurately represent its ring stiffness. Thus, an equivalent elastic modulus calculation method based on the law of mixture was adopted, and a semi-empirical, semi-theoretical formula for predicting the initial ring stiffness of BWCP was proposed by combining mechanical theory with experimental results.
Ceramic/metal laminates offer great potential for enhancing mechanical properties; however, traditional fabrication methods lack precise microstructural control. This study employed direct ink writing (DIW) and pressureless infiltration to create near-net-shape Cr3C2/Cu laminates with tailored properties. Adjusting the Cr3C2 content and loading orientation yielded significant improvements in strength and toughness. Notably, a composite with 26.2 vol.% Cr3C2 exhibited a flexural strength of 995 MPa and a fracture toughness (KIC) of 22.3 MPa·m1/2 when loaded parallel to the layers (S-YOZ), exceeding values reported for conventionally manufactured counterparts. The enhanced mechanical properties and anisotropic behavior result from the synergy between the alternating soft Cu and hard Cr3C2 layers, the interpenetrating microstructures, and strong interfacial bonding. In situ observations and finite element simulations confirmed toughening mechanisms, including crack deflection, ductile bridging, and multiple cracking. This DIW-based approach offers a promising route for designing high-performance ceramic/metal composites.
Adhered Web-Lapped Semi-Rigid Pultruded FRP Beam-to-Column Framing Connections: Part 2 – Spring Constant, Strength Prediction, and Applications
David Pirchio, Juan Diego Pozo, Kevin Q. Walsh
doi:10.1016/j.compositesb.2024.112097
粘结网搭接半刚性拉挤FRP梁-柱框架连接:第2部分-弹簧常数,强度预测和应用
The herein research focused on the definition of the spring constant, developing a predictive equation for strength, and a parametric study for adhered lapped semi-rigid pultruded fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) beam-to-column connections. The research is the second part of a two-part paper in which the first part focused on the experimental testing of 51 lapped adhered semi-rigid pultruded FRP beam-to-column connections in cyclic loading. The spring constant was determined based on analytical methods to determine the initial stiffness of the semi-rigid connections, net deformation due to flexural bending, and shear acting on the connection component (i.e., the column and the beam). A predictive equation to determine the strength of the semi-rigid connection was developed using an analytical approach and compared with the connection strength determined in the first part of the work, and a strength reduction factor (i.e., ϕ-factor) was defined to grant a standard-compliant level of reliability for the application of the developed predictive equation into load and resistance factor design (LRFD) approach. Finally, the possible applications of the results within the boundaries of LRFD design of pultruded FRP framing systems were discussed via a parametric study in which the results were applied and two real-world examples.
Three-dimensional printing of high-performance continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites: causes and elimination of process-induced defects
Weijun Zhu, Long Fu, Xiaoyong Tian, Quan Zhi, Zhanghao Hou, Zhikun Zhang, Ning Wang, Tengfei Liu, Henglun Sun, Ryosuke Matsuzaki, Masahito Ueda, Andrei V. Malakhov, Alexander N. Polilov, Meng Luo, Dongsheng Li, Dichen Li
doi:10.1016/j.compositesb.2024.112080
高性能连续纤维增强热塑性复合材料的三维打印:工艺缺陷的原因和消除
Continuous fiber composite three-dimensional (3D) printing technology enables the production of lightweight, complex 3D composite parts with functional integration and other significant advantages. However, in high-end applications, scenarios such as aerospace and energy delivery the performance stability of materials in long-term service environments is critical. The poor performance and instability of the existing 3D printing of fiber composite materials, particularly fiber-reinforced thermoplastic materials, caused by the various defects introduced in the printing process, has become the main challenge. This paper focuses on high-performance continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites. It reviews various defects in the printing process and discusses their mechanisms, effects on properties and possible elimination measures. Printing defects are categorized into two types based on their primary components: polymer defects and fiber-related defects. This paper also discusses two types of defects: defects in turning zones and defects on surfaces, which are classified based on their location. In addition, this paper summarizes the existing defect elimination methods and research progress. It also suggests the direction of future development, emphasizing that understanding the mechanisms and addressing irremovable defects are crucial for advancing high-performance 3D printing technology.
Characterization of fracture behavior in adhesively bonded joints with porosity in the adhesive layer using X-ray computed tomography
William E. Guin, John V. Bausano, Ashley N. Taets, Alan T. Nettles, Scott Ragasa
doi:10.1016/j.compscitech.2024.111025
用x射线计算机断层扫描表征带有黏合剂层孔隙的黏合剂粘合接头的断裂行为
Adhesively bonded joints with various levels of porosity in the adhesive layer are examined via X-ray computed tomography (CT) and Mode I fracture toughness testing. Bonded assemblies consisting of woven carbon fiber/epoxy composite adherends and a toughened epoxy film adhesive are considered. Porosity is induced in the adhesive layer through the use of shims during the manufacturing process. X-ray CT and accompanying image processing is used to characterize bondline thicknesses and void content in each Mode I fracture toughness specimen considered. Mode I fracture toughness tests are carried out to quantitatively assess the effects of porosity in the adhesive layer and post-test optical microscopy is used to examine the relationships between fracture toughness and fracture processes. This experimental approach is used to establish relationships among bondline thickness, void content, Mode I fracture toughness, and failure modes in an effort to correlate quantifiable physical parameters to adhesively bonded joint structural performance.