CF/EP composite laminates with carbon black and copper chloride for improved electrical conductivity and interlaminar fracture toughness

Donghai Zhang, Lin Ye, Shiqiang Deng, Jianing Zhang, Youhong Tang, Yunfa Chen

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    89 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    An experimental study was conducted to improve the electrical conductivity of continuous carbon fibre/epoxy (CF/EP) composite laminate, with simultaneous improvement in mechanical performance, by incorporating nano-scale carbon black (CB) particles and copper chloride (CC) electrolyte into the epoxy matrix. CF/EP laminates of 65vol.% of carbon fibres were manufactured using a vacuum-assisted resin infusion (VARI) technique. The effects of CB and the synergy of CB/CC on electrical resistivity, tensile strength and elastic modulus and fracture toughness (K IC ) of the epoxy matrix were experimentally characterised, as well as the transverse tensile modulus and strength, Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness of the CF/EP laminates. The results showed that the addition of up to 3.0wt.% CB in the epoxy matrix, with the assistance of CC, noticeably improved the electrical conductivity of the epoxy and the CF/EP laminates, with mechanical performance also enhanced to a certain extent.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)412-420
    Number of pages9
    JournalComposites Science and Technology
    Volume72
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 7 Feb 2012

    Keywords

    • A. Laminate
    • A. Particle-reinforced composites
    • A. Polymer-matrix composites (PMCs)
    • B. Electrical properties
    • B. Fracture toughness

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