Wednesday  |  Frick  |  09:20 AM–09:40 AM

#13472, Electro-mechanical Response of Carbon/Glass Intra-ply Laminated Thermoplastic Composites Under Shear and Fracture Loadings

A comprehensive experimental study was performed to characterize the electro-mechanical behavior of laminated composites consisting of Carbon/Glass inter-ply reinforcement with a novel liquid thermoplastic resin, Elium®. This unique thermoplastic resin allows for the matrix to be fully recyclable while maintaining the same fabrication techniques of standard thermoset resins. The multi-walled carbon nanotubes were dispersed in the resin through shear mixing and ultrasonication, to enhance the electrical network of the laminates. A vacuum infusion process was employed to fabricate the laminates. In the parametric study, laminates of four different fabric orientations were constructed, and the electrical and mechanical responses were studied under in-plane-shear and mode-I fracture loading conditions. A four-probe circumferential measuring technique was utilized to acquire the piezo-electrical response. In the in-plane-shear experiments, results indicate a two-phase electrical response, in which the electrical resistance remains steady followed by a phase of increasing resistance. The mode-I fracture experiments are ongoing and will be presented at the conference.

Mohammed Shonar   University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Vijaya Chalivendra   University of Massachusetts Dartmouth