Abstract:
Carbon fiber reinforced resin matrix composites (CFRP) are widely used in aerospace and is gradually replacing metal materials for aircraft structures as a result of their low density and high strength characteristics, while poor electrical conductivity and interlaminar shear fracture toughness could reduce their safety as structural components in use. In order to improve the poor electrical conductivity and interlaminar fracture toughness of CFRP, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) doped polyethersulfone (PES) conductive thermoplastic films (CTFs) were prepared by solution casting in this work. Then CTFs were interleaved into carbon fiber/epoxy resin (CF/EP) prepregs to prepare composite laminates. The electrical conductivity and interlaminar fracture toughness of the composite laminates were investigated. The results show that compared with the control sample (CS), the conductivity of the laminate increases by 474% and 554% in the transverse (
Y) and thickness (
Z) directions, respectively. The Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness values were evaluated by double cantilever beam (DCB) and end-notched flexure (ENF) testing. The data show that when the nano-filler mass ratio of CNT∶GNP is 2∶1 in the interleaved CTF, the Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness and fracture impedance of the composite laminates are increased by 441% and 165%, respectively. Moreover, when the nano-filler mass ratio of CNT∶GNP is 8: 1, the Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness of the composite laminates is increased by 79%. In addition, the microstructural morphology of the composite material was observed by SEM and its failure mechanism was studied.