Effect of laminate configuration on the self-healing of hybrid laminates reinforced by unidirectional spread carbon fibers and woven carbon fibers

Abstract

This study examines the interlaminar shear strength and self-healing of woven carbon fiber (WCF)/epoxy (EP) laminates and spread carbon fiber (SCF)/WCF/EP laminates experimentally. Self-healing is accomplished by incorporating microcapsules containing a healing agent mixed with a UV fluorescent dye and catalyst within epoxy matrix. The apparent interlaminar shear strength and the healing efficiency of the laminates were evaluated by short beam shear tests. The results showed that apparent shear stress-displacement curves of self-healing SCF/WCF/EP laminates is larger non-linearity than that of self-healing WCF/EP laminates. Though the apparent interlaminar shear strength of self-healing SCF/WCF/EP laminates decreased as the number of SCF prepregs increased between WCF prepregs, the healing efficiency increased.