Influence of Prepreg Microstructures on Structural Performance of Polymer Matrix Composites

摘要

This study provides methods by which composite prepreg materials can be characterized at the microscopic level. By applying established spatial tessellation schemes developed by Dirichlet, a means by which fiber packing may be conveniently characterized at a number of different length scales is provided. New micrographic preparation techniques are presented, that allow microscopic characterization of uncured prepreg material. This provides the starting point for an analysis that is intended to uncover the links between processing sequence, micro-structural variation and attendant variability in structural performance. A computer code is presented that allows automatic characterization, in terms of fiber volume fraction maps, of micrographic images including those from previously published articles. A preliminary version of a finite element model that interrogates the effect of fiber packing on stress profiles and associated microcracking patterns is also presented.