3D Woven Fabric Reinforced Self-Healing Polymer Composite

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2022

Abstract

In this article, 3D woven fabric reinforced polymer composites are presented. We focused on 3D woven fabric reinforced shape memory polymer based syntactic foam with extrinsic self-healing capability so that low velocity impact induced damage can be healed repeatedly. To this end, we first present the mechanics of low velocity impact response, energy transfer and energy absorption based on an instrumented drop tower impact tester. We then discuss the preparation and characterization of a novel type of syntactic foam with the ability to heal structural damage. The foam was fabricated by systematically dispersing glass microballoons and copolyester thermoplastic particles in a veriflex shape memory polymer matrix. It was found that the foam can heal structural-length scale damage repeatedly with a healing efficiency of 50%. To better evaluate the structural behavior of the foam, it was reinforced with 3D woven glass fabric and its repeated impact behavior was studied using 42J of impact energy. In addition to serving as the healing agent, it was found that the thermoplastic particles significantly enhanced the impact toughness of the material by increasing the number of repeated impacts to perforation from 5 to 16 and delaying ultimate failure. Specimens that were healed after each impact, compared with those that were impacted repeatedly without healing, lasted an additional 5 rounds of impact to a total of 21 rounds before being perforated. The excellent impact properties together with the healing ability indicate the potential use of this type of self-healing composite in weight sensitive and impact prone applications.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Encyclopedia of Materials: Plastics and Polymers

First Page

1

Last Page

16

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