MECHANICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF STRETCH BROKEN CARBON FIBER MATERIALS - IM7 FIBER IN 8552 RESIN

摘要

Interest in aligned discontinuous fiber materials has increased significantly in recent years as they facilitate new and more cost effective forming techniques for complex shaped composite parts compared to continuous fiber systems. Recent developments in the stretch break process led to enhanced formability of stretch broken carbon fiber (SBCF) materials, in particular those with intermediate modulus (IM) fibers.A comprehensive test matrix was developed to compare the mechanical performance of stretch broken IM fiber based composites with 8552 matrix resin to those made with continuous reinforcement. Properties tested at ambient conditions, cold temperature dry, and elevated temperature wet environments include 0° and 90° tension, 0° compression, open-hole tension and compression, in-plane and short beam shear, compression after impact, and pin bearing response.The results of the mechanical property testing demonstrate equivalency of a wide range of strength and stiffness related properties of the stretch broken IM7/8552 material form compared to the material form with continuous reinforcement.