Comparative study on the low-velocity impact properties of unidirectional flax and carbon fiber reinforced epoxy plates

Abstract

Flax and carbon fibers reinforced polymer composites have high potentials to be used as sustainable building materials. To understand the impact resistance of these fiber composites, the present article studied the impact resistance of unidirectional flax fiber and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (FFRP and CFRP) composite plates. The impact response, damage resistance, and impact tolerance were investigated using drop hammer impact and compression after impact (CAI) tests. The internal damage of FFRP and CFRP due to impact loads was studied using acoustic emission technology. In addition, the development process of impact damage was analyzed. CFRP plates show a higher specific energy absorption rate than that of FFRP, because of the more serious internal damage and brittle fracture tendencies. Matrix cracking was the primary damage in FFRP and CFRP under impact load. Compared with CFRP, FFRP possesses a higher CAI due to less damage. Further expansion of the matrix crack caused by the original impact occurs in the impacted fiber-reinforced polymer composites (FRP) under a compressive load.

Keywords:

• Impact properties
• flax fiber reinforced polymer composite
• carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite
• compression after impact
• acoustic emission
• damage analysis

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China [Grant No. 2021YFB3704403], the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant No. 51878223] and China Postdoctoral Science Foundation [Grant No. 2022M710358 and No. 2022TQ0027].