Abstract
Homogeneous low voltage electron beam irradiation (HLEBI) improves the Charpy impact value (auc) of sandwich structural composite (CFRP/ABS/CFRP) of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resins cores (2 mm thickness) covered with carbon fiber reinforced epoxy polymers (CFRP) with 250 μm thickness at both side surfaces. The auc values of CFRP/ABS/CFRP at low (0.06) and mid (0.50) fracture probability (Pf) after irradiation at 0.30 MGy (kJg−1) were 35.9 and 53.0 kJm−2, which were approximately 20.3 and 25.2% higher than those (28.6 and 39.7 kJm−2) before treatment, respectively. Although the maximum auc value at mid Pf (0.50) after 0.30 MGy irradiation for the CFRP/ABS/CFRP is approximately equal to that for CFRP, it is also about 21.4% higher than that (41.7 kJm−2) of these CFRP before treatment. Although the use of ABS resin as the core reduced other mechanical properties of tensile and bending, the price of CFRP was apparently higher than that of ABS polymer. Thus, it is possible that the sandwich structural composites of CFRP/ABS/CFRP could be used for daily articles. Since the irradiated depth estimated is about 119±23 μm at their both sides surface, the irradiation effects mostly was acted within the CFRP sheet.
