Mechanical characterization of carbon/Kevlar hybrid woven 3D composites

Abstract This research work focuses on the experimental analysis for mechanical characterization of 3D woven carbon, Kevlar, and their hybrid composite laminates. According to the research, in 3D weaving, weft, warp, and binder fibers meet along and through the fabrics within the X , Y , and Z directions, respectively. The effect of different combinations of weft, warp, and binder with respect to 3D woven composites in terms of tensile strength, flexure strength, fracture toughness, and impact energy is analyzed in this study. The primary objective of this research is to fabricate four combinations of 3D woven composite fabrics from carbon and Kevlar fibers using hand weaving and a vacuum bagging method, keeping the weaving of the binder at 45°, with respect to weft and warp. On testing the combinations, the CCK specimen provided a higher tensile modulus and peak stress with a medium strength to weight ratio. It reflects the ability of the CCC combination under bending to compress or stretch less when experiencing deformation (strain), while the maximum values (stress) indicate that the CCC can support a larger load. KKC shows the synergistic effect of the fibers, excellent interfacial bond strength, and good material properties. The double cantilever beam test is used to experimentally determine the crack mode opening displacement and energy release rate of laminated composites in mode-I crack type. Linear elastic fracture mechanics is also used to investigate the energy release rate. The KKK combination exhibits very high impact resistance and energy absorption properties in the free fall impact test.