University of Limerick
Browse

Hygrothermal ageing effects on failure behaviour of fibre-reinforced polymer composite materials under in-situ SEM testing

Download (12.81 MB)
journal contribution
posted on 2025-01-30, 08:51 authored by Indraneel R. Chowdhury, Pavan RaoPavan Rao, Noel O'DowdNoel O'Dowd, ANTHONY COMERANTHONY COMER

This study aims to analyse the effects of hygrothermal ageing on mechanical properties, weight gain phenomena, and failure mechanisms of non-crimp fabric (NCF) based fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) epoxy composites following immersion in two different aqueous media – deionised water and seawater at 35 ◦C until complete saturation. A comparative analysis has been performed between the effect of hygrothermal ageing on moisture absorption characteristics, flexural properties, and corresponding failure mechanisms of NCF basalt FRP and NCF E-glass FRP composites with similar fibre-volume fraction of approx. 54 %. Specimens were tested in-situ using a JEOL JSM-5600 scanning electron microscope (SEM) fitted with a 3-point bend test fixture. Overall, NCF basalt FRP composites demonstrated relatively lower moisture absorption characteristics than NCF E-glass FRP com posites in deionised water and seawater. For both NCF basalt and NCF E-glass, moisture ageing significantly affected the flexural strength of composites. NCF basalt FRP demonstrated a reduction of approx. 30–35 % in flexural strength while for NCF E-glass, the reduction in flexural strength was relatively higher ranging to approx. 35–40 %. Flexural modulus of NCF basalt FRP was not significantly affected while for NCF E-glass, a reduction in flexural modulus by approx. 15 % was observed. However, during in-situ SEM testing, the failure mechanisms of moisture-aged NCF basalt and NCF E-glass FRP composites were similar, where failure initiated in the form of fibre/matrix debonding in the 90◦ sub-ply at the bottom ply on the tension side, but final failure took place due to fibre kinking in the 0◦ sub-ply of the top ply on the compression side.

History

Publication

Composites Part B 294, 112148

Publisher

Elsevier

Other Funding information

ESB (Electricity Supply Board) and the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Limerick for this project

Also affiliated with

  • Bernal Institute

Department or School

  • School of Engineering

Usage metrics

    University of Limerick

    Categories

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC