Ballistic impact response of flexible and rigid UHMWPE textile composites:Experiments and simulations

This study elaborates on the effects of matrix rigidity on the high-velocity impact behaviour of UHMWPE textile composites using experimental and numerical methods.Textile composite samples were manufactured of a plain-weave fabric(comprising Spectra?1000 fibres)and four different matrix materials.High-velocity impact tests were conducted by launching a spherical steel projectile to strike on the prepared samples via a gas gun.The experimental results showed that the textile composites gradually changed from a membrane stretching mode to a plate bending mode as the matrix rigidity and thickness increased.The composites deformed in the membrane stretching mode had higher impact resistance and energy absorption capacity,and it was found that the average energy absorption per ply was much higher in this mode,although the number of broken yarns was smaller in the perforated samples.Moreover,the flexible matrix composites always had higher perforation resistance but larger deformation than the rigid matrix counterparts in the tested thickness and velocity range.A novel numerical modelling approach with enhanced computational efficiency was proposed to simulate textile composites in mesoscale resolution.The simulation results revealed that stress and strain development in the more rigid matrix composite was localised in the vicinity of the impact location,leading to larger local deformation and inferior perforation resistance.

Theoretical prediction for effective properties and progressive failure of textile composites:a generalized multi-scale approach

A generalized analytical model is developed to predict progressive failure behavior of several types of textile composites,including plain weave composites,twill weave composites,two-dimensional tri-axially braided composites and warpreinforced 2.5-dimensional braided composites.In this model,the unit cell(UC)of composite is firstly identified and reconstructed into a refined lamina structure with multiple equivalent lamina elements(ELEs)based on apt geometrical approximation and assumptions.Secondly,two-way coupled stress-strain responses within the UC(macro-scale)and ELE(meso-scale)are established through a universal series-parallel model(SPM).Finally,a progressive damage model,which consists of damage initiation criteria and a stiffness evolution strategy,is employed to predict damage behavior of the ELE.The analytical results including mechanical properties and progressive failure process are validated against the existing numerical and experimental ones in literature.The validated analytical model is then used to study the effects of global fiber volume fraction,braided angle,shear failure coefficient and selected failure criteria on stiffness,strength and failure process.The present results demonstrate the efficiency and generic capability of the present analytical model for predicting the mechanical responses of a range of textile composites.

A review of high‐velocity impact on fiber‐reinforced textile composites: Potential for aero engine applications

Considerable research has indicated that fiber‐reinforced textile composites are significantly beneficial to the aerospace industry,especially aero engines,due to their high specific strength,specific stiffness,corrosion resistance,and fatigue re-sistance.However,damage caused by high‐velocity impacts is a critical limitation factor in a wide range of applications.This paper presents an overview of the development,material characterizations,and applications of fiber‐reinforced textile composites for aero engines.These textile composites are classified into four ca-tegories including two‐dimensional(2D)woven composites,2D braided composites,3D woven composites,and 3D braided composites.The complex damage me-chanisms of these composite materials due to high‐velocity impacts are discussed in detail as well.

Internal Strain Measurement in 3D Braided Composites Using Co-braided Optical Fiber Sensors

3D braided composite technology has stimulated a great deal of interest in the world at large. But due to the three-dimensional nature of these kinds of composites, coupled with the shortcomings of currently-adopted experimental test methods, it is difficult to measure the internal parameters of this materials, hence causes it difficult to understand the material performance. A new method is introduced herein to measure the internal strain of braided composite materials using co-braided fiber optic sensors. Two kinds of fiber optic sensors are co-braided into 3D braided composites to measure internal strain. One of these is the Fabry-Parrot (F-P) fiber optic sensor; the other is the polarimetric fiber optic sensor. Experiments are conducted to measure internal strain under tension, bending and thermal environments in the 3D carbon fiber braided composite specimens, both locally and globally. Experimental results show that multiple fiber optic sensors can be braided into the 3D braided composites to measure the internal parameters, providing a more accurate measurement method and leading to a better understanding of these materials.

Halloysite‒gold core‒shell nanosystem synergistically enhances thermal conductivity and mechanical properties to optimize the wear-resistance of a pheonlic-PBO/PTFE textile composite liner

Polymer-textile liner composites have potential applications in aerospace applications for reducing the abrasion damage of moving parts during operation owing to their self-lubrication,light weight,and high loading capacity.Herein,Au nanoparticles(AuNPs)are successfully loaded into the lumen of halloysite nanotubes(HNTs)to construct an HNTs‒Au peasecod core‒shell nanosystem to optimize the wear resistance of phenolic resin-based poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole)(PBO)/polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE)textile composites.Transmission electron microscope(TEM)characterization reveals that the AuNPs are well-dispersed inside the HNTs,with an average diameter of 6‒9 nm.The anti-wear performance of the HNTs and Au-reinforced PBO/PTFE composites is evaluated using a pin-on-disk friction tester at 100 MPa.Evidently,the addition of HNTs‒Au induces a 27.9%decrease in the wear rate of the composites.Possible anti-wear mechanisms are proposed based on the analyzed results of the worn surface morphology and the cross-section of the tribofilm obtained by focused ion beam transmission electron microscopy.

Analytical Solution for Predicting In-plane Elastic Shear Properties of 2D Orthogonal PWF Composites

This paper proposes a new analytical solution to predict the shear modulus of a two-dimensional（2D） plain weave fabric（PWF） composite accounting for the interaction of orthogonal interlacing strands with coupled shear deformation modes including not only relative bending but also torsion,etc.The two orthogonal yarns in a micromechanical unit cell are idealized as curved beams with a path depicted by using sinusoidal shape functions.The internal forces and macroscopic deformations carried by the yarn families,together with macroscopic shear modulus of PWFs are derived by means of a strain energy approach founded on micromechanics.Three sets of experimental data pertinent to three kinds of 2D orthogonal PWF composites have been implemented to validate the new model.The calculations from the new model are also compared with those by using two models in the earlier literature.It is shown that the experimental results correlate well with predictions from the new model.

Developing Skin Analogues for a Robotic Octopus

In order to fabricate a biomimetic skin for an octopus inspired robot, a new process was developed based on mechanical properties measured from real octopus skin. Various knitted nylon textiles were tested and the one of 10-denier nylon was chosen as reinforcement. A combination of Ecoflex 0030 and 0010 silicone rubbers was used as matrix of the composite to obtain the right stiffness for the skin-analogue system. The open mould fabrication process developed allows air bubble to escape easily and the artificial skin produced was thin and waterproof. Material properties of the biomimetic skin were char- acterised using static tensile and instrumented scissors cutting tests. The Young＇s moduli of the artificial skin are 0.08 MPa and 0.13 MPa in the longitudinal and transverse directions, which are much lower than those of the octopus skin. The strength and fracture toughness of the artificial skin, on the other hand are higher than those of real octopus skins. Conically-shaped skin prototypes to be used to cover the robotic arm unit were manufactured and tested. The biomimetic skin prototype was stiff enough to maintain it conical shape when filled with water. The driving force for elongation was reduced significantly compared with previous prototypes.