HUN-REN-BME Research Group





Hybrid Fibre-reinforced composites: achieving Synergetic effects through microstructural design and advanced simulation tools

Project ID:
765881-HyFiSyn-H2020-MSCA-ITN-2017
Supported by:
Term:
1 October 2018 - 30 September 2021
Supervisor (BME):
Dr. Gergely Czél

Consortium partners (BME):
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Belgium
ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE Switzerland
NORTH THIN PLY TECHNOLOGY SARL Switzerland
University of Vienna, Austria
THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM United Kingdom
DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET Denmark
IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE United Kingdom

Project results

Section 1
1 October 2018 - 30 September 2021
The key target was to extend the scope of pseudo-ductile composites with the application of standard thickness carbon fibre /epoxy plies together with glass fibre /epoxy. To get fragmentation and pseudo-dcutile failure in standard thickness interlayer hybrid composites, the interlaminar fracture toughness has to be improved significantly. To do so, we applied extra matrix material locally at the layer interfaces in the form of epoxy films, but we could only get 2 out of 6 specimens with pseudo-ductile failure. Thermoplastic acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymer films also did not improve the failure behaviour significantly. On the other hand, electrospun nanofobrous layers made at University of Liberec led us to a break-trough by an almost two-fold increase of mode II interlaminar fracture toughness and a transition from delamination to fragmentation and stable delamination type failure mode. Outstanding results were also achieved by using PA12 interleaves at the layer interfaces. The increase in interlaminar fracture toughness was almost three-fold and stable pseudo-ductile failure mode was achieved.
Catastrophic failure to pseudo-ductility transition due to interleaving in hybrid composites

Section 2
00 00 0000 - 00 00 0000
The key target for the second period of the research programme was to add reparability as a new function to pseudo-ductile hybrid composites. We used PA12 films, which enabled excellent interfacial toughening earlier, for the design of our reparable hybrid laminates with a discontinuous carbon fibre/epoxy central layer to promote delamination instead of fractures of this stiff element. The developed material demonstrated favourable, pseudo-ductile stress-strain response. It was also possible to repair the delamination damage accumulated during the overloading test in an autoclave applying heat and psessure. We confirmed, that a minimum temperature above the melting point of the PA12 is necessary for successful repair, and the highest possible pressure should be applied for best re-bonding of the delaminated layers. Light regions on the figure show delamination as the applied glass fibre/epoxy outer layers are translucent. We plan to publish the results of this study in an international journal paper.
Appearance of the developed hybrid composite material during the overload- repair- repeated overload cycle



Project-related publications


  1. Marino S. G., Czél G. : Development and characterisation of reparable, film-interleaved, pseudo-ductile hybrid composites. Composites Part A (Applied Science and Manufacturing), 169, 107496/1-107496/13 (2023) 10.1016/j.compositesa.2023.107496 IF=8.7 Q1
  2. Marino S. G., Kuželová Košťáková E. , Czél G. : Development of pseudo-ductile interlayer hybrid composites of standard thickness plies by interleaving polyamide 6 nanofibrous layers. Composites Science and Technology, 234, 109924/1-109924/14 (2023) 10.1016/j.compscitech.2023.109924 IF=9.1 Q1
  3. Marino S. G., Czél G.: Improving the performance of pseudo-ductile hybrid composites by film-interleaving. Composites Part A (Applied Science and Manufacturing), 142, 106233/1-106233/16 (2021) 10.1016/j.compositesa.2020.106233 IF=9.463 Q1
  4. Wisnom M., Potter K., Czél G., Jalalvand M.: Strain overload sensor. GB2544792B, United Kingdom (2020)
  5. Marino S.G., Mayer F., Bismarck A., Czél G.: Effect of Plasma-Treatment of Interleaved Thermoplastic Films on Delamination in Interlayer Fibre Hybrid Composite Laminates. Polymers, 12, 2834/1-2834/24 (2020) 10.3390/polym12122834 IF=4.329 Q1
  6. Szebényi G., Blößl Y., Hegedűs G., Tábi T., Czigány T., Schledjewski R.: Fatigue monitoring of flax fibre reinforced epoxy composites using integrated fibre-optical FBG sensors. Composites Science and Technology, 199, 108317/1-108317/8 (2020) 10.1016/j.compscitech.2020.108317 IF=8.528 D1

© 2014 BME Department of Polymer Engineering - Created by: Dr. Romhány Gábor