Low velocity impact behavior of carbon fiber/aluminum laminate (CARALL) hybrid composites

Abstract The low-velocity impact behavior of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy/aluminum laminates (CARALLs) was investigated experimentally. Two types of fiber metal laminates (FMLs), with 2/1 and 3/2 configurations composed of Al 2024-T3 alloy and carbon fiber woven fabrics, were fabricated and tested under varying impact velocities and energy levels. For comparison, additional tests were conducted on composites made solely of carbon fiber layers and on monolithic aluminum plates. Results showed that incorporating aluminum layers significantly reduced damage to the carbon fiber layers and enhanced the composites’ energy absorption capacity. Damage analysis indicated that aluminum layers effectively distributed impact energy, thereby mitigating damage to the composite structure. While 2/1-FMLs exhibited severe cracking and even perforation at higher energies, 3/2-FMLs demonstrated superior resistance with localized deformation and limited crack propagation. The overall thickness of the laminates was found to be a key factor in controlling damage and improving impact resistance. The study also underscored the crucial role of impact velocity in failure mechanisms, highlighting the need to optimize energy levels when designing impact-resistant composites. These findings contribute to the advancement of hybrid composite materials for aerospace and automotive applications.