The self-heating effect on hybrid composites

Recently, hybrid composites attract attention due their sustainability and specific properties. However, the advantages of biodegradability of these materials imply numerous challenges in terms of repeatability of mechanical properties and structural behavior. Due to this, it is essential to investigate their structural response under specific environmental and loading conditions. One of the crucial properties of composite materials is the resistance to fatigue, which should ensure proper and safe operation of structures and components made of these materials. Under certain loading conditions, e.g., when composites are subjected to cyclic loads, the self-heating effect may occur in a non-stationary regime, accelerating the structural degradation and leading to the failure. However, the fatigue and degradation processes can be described by specific fatigue parameters. In this study, the concept of evaluation of fatigue resistance based on critical self-heating temperature was adapted to evaluate the response of hybrid composites. The determined values of the critical self-heating temperature can be used as an indicator of the development of fatigue failure and can be used as a material property specific for a given material. The adapted approach based on the critical self-heating temperature was validated with the results acquired from the acoustic emission tests, demonstrating high consistency and accuracy in determination of this fatigue property.