Experimental Investigation of the Effects of Different Conditioning Temperatures on Mode-I Fracture Toughness in Intraply Hybrid Carbon/Aramid/Elium Composites

Öz

This study investigates the Mode-I fracture toughness performance of intraply hybrid carbon/aramid fiber-reinforced Elium thermoplastic composites under various thermal conditioning temperatures ranging from -50 °C to +50 °C. Specimens were manufactured using the hand lay-up assisted vacuum infusion method and subjected to Double-Cantilever Beam (DCB) tests. The results demonstrate that thermal conditioning significantly influences the interlaminar fracture energy. Specifically, sub-zero conditioning at -50 °C resulted in a 10.41% increase in fracture toughness compared to the reference temperature (+25 °C), reaching a value of 1240.30 J/m2, which is attributed to enhanced fiber bridging. Notably, at +50 °C, the fracture toughness reached its peak value of 1242.61 J/m2, representing a 10.61% improvement. This enhancement is linked to the softening effect and increased ductility of the Elium matrix as it approaches its glass transition region. The study’s original contribution lies in characterizing the thermal resilience of these recyclable hybrid composites, proving that Elium-based systems can maintain and even enhance their damage tolerance under fluctuating environmental conditions. These findings provide critical data for the design of sustainable and high-performance structural components in the aerospace and automotive industries.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Carbon/aramid intraply
• Double-cantilever beam
• Elium
• Fracture toughness
• Hybrid composite
• Thermal conditioning

Kaynakça

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