Anti-penetration performance of Ti/Al3Ti/Al laminated composites with graphene nanoplatelets

The potential of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) in enhancing composite materials is widely recognized. However, the specific mechanisms through which GNPs contribute to the anti-penetration performance of laminated metal composites (LMCs) remain unclear. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations are employed to investigate the impact of GNPs on the anti-penetration performance of Ti/Al 3 Ti/Al LMCs. The results show that the enhancement of the anti-penetration performance of Ti/Al 3 Ti/Al LMCs with a positive correlation with the number of GNPs layers. Specifically, the impact force of the projectile at the bottom edge of the Ti/Al 3 Ti/Al, Ti/Al 3 Ti/Al@GNPs1, and Ti/Al 3 Ti/Al@GNPs2 is 146.1, 451.1, and 478.1 nN respectively. The velocity of the projectile in Ti/Al 3 Ti/Al@GNPs LMCs is found to decrease to zero and then increase in the reverse direction. The GNPs cause the projectile to experience a rebound effect, which improves the material protection. The GNPs alter the dislocations motion laterally along the interfaces, improving the material anti-penetration performance and strength. This study reveals the enhancement of the protective properties of Ti/Al 3 Ti/Al LMCs by GNPs, which is also instructive for the design of impact protection in laminated composites.