Paper number 1130

ENHANCED FATIGUE RESISTANCE IN CARBON/EPOXY LAMINATES BY USE OF INTERLEAF LAYERS

Toshio Tanimoto

Department of Materials Science & Ceramic Technology
Shonan Institute of Technology
1-1-25 Tsujido-Nishikaigan, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8511, Japan

Summary

The effect of interleaf layers incorporated between laminae on the axial fatigue behavior of quasi-isotropic carbon/epoxy laminates was investigated. Two kinds of laminates, with and without interlayers, were compared in this study. Tension fatigue tests were performed on both laminates. It is shown that introducing the interleaf layers remarkably improved the tension fatigue resistance of the laminate. The interlayers delayed the onset of interlaminar delamination from the free edge and impeded the progression of interlaminar delamination until final failure. Discussion is made on how these interlayers work in enhancing the interlaminar toughness and thus improving the axial fatigue properties of [0/±45/90]s carbon/epoxy laminates. Discussion is also made on the optimum interleaf width in case the interleaf films were placed only in a limited local area near free edges, from the viewpoint of the fatigue resistance of quasi-isotropic carbon/epoxy laminates.

Keywords

interleaf layers, fatigue, carbon/epoxy laminate, quasi-isotropic laminate.