PROCESSING, IMPACT RESPONSE AND DAMAGE CHARACTERISATION OF PLAIN-WEAVE CARBON/EPOXY-NANOCLAY NANOCOMPOSITES

摘要

An organically modified montmorillonite nanoclay was used to modify a toughened epoxy system using ultrasonic cavitation and 15-layer plain weave carbon/epoxy composites fabricated therefrom by hand lay-up followed by vacuum bag moulding. The basal spacing between the clay galleries was investigated by X-ray diffraction and low velocity impact tests carried out on samples cut from the composites using an instrumented drop-weight tower device. Transient responses of the samples were recorded and analysed in terms of load energy versus time relations and impact damage characterised by ultrasonic C-scanning. 16 refs.