Projectile density, impact angle and energy effects on hypervelocity impact damage to carbon fibre/peek composites

摘要

This paper explores the effects of projectile density, impact angle and energy on the damage produced by hypervelocity impacts on carbon fibre/PEEK composites. Tests were performed using the light gas gun facilities at the University of Kent at Canterbury, UK, and the NASA Johnson Space Center two-stage light gas gun facilities at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Various density spherical projectiles impacted AS4/PEEK composite laminates at velocities ranging form 2.71 to 7.14 km/s. In addition, a series of tests with constant size Aluminum projectiles (1.5 mm in diameter) impacting composite targets at velocities of 3,4,5 and 6 km/s was undertaken at incident angles of 0, 30 and 45 degrees.