Self-healing carbon fiber/epoxy laminates with particulate interlayers of a low-melting-point alloy

Se Jun Wang, Ji Hwan Jang, Jin Koo Kim, Jae Min Baek, Ji Hee Lee, Jinwook Jeong, Hohyun Keum, Seokpum Kim, Sang Yup Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In order to prolong the service life of fiber-reinforced polymer composites, the implementation of self-healing ability with the micro-encapsulated healing agent has been extensively studied. However, such microcapsule-based self-healing composites typically suffer from degraded mechanical properties due to the liquid-phase inclusions, thereby limiting their proliferation. Here, a low-melting-point alloy is utilized as the particulate inclusions of carbon fiber/epoxy laminated composites. Field's Metal particles (melting point: 62 °C) are distributed between woven carbon fiber preforms followed by the resin impregnation to realize laminated composites with a Field's Metal-enhanced interlayer(s). The resulting laminated composites demonstrate the autonomic repair of interlaminar failure with a 40 % of healing efficiency. Most of all, the mechanical properties of these self-healing laminated composites are comparable to the conventional laminated composites attributed to the rigid inclusions that can be compressed to increase the fiber volume. Since the Field's Metal particle inclusions can bestow polymer composites with self-healing ability and the potential increase in mechanical properties, Field's Metal-enhanced fiber-reinforced polymer composites are expected to unlock the practical utility of self-healing composites.

Original languageEnglish
Article number111792
JournalComposites Part B: Engineering
Volume286
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2024

Keywords

  • A. polymer-matrix composites (PMCs)
  • B. Delamination
  • D. Mechanical testing
  • Smart materials

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Self-healing carbon fiber/epoxy laminates with particulate interlayers of a low-melting-point alloy'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this