Cryogenic Impact Resistance of Carbon Fiber/Vinyl Ester Composite With Polyamide XD10 Nanofiber Interleaves

ABSTRACT Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are widely adopted in vessels, but are also especially sensitive to impact load in cryogenic conditions. Vacuum assisted resin infusion (VARI) is widely applied to produce large‐scale vessel FRP components. However, few studies conducted impact on vinyl ester based VARI‐made FRPs in cryogenic conditions. In this study, polyamide XD10 nanofiber membranes were interleaved into carbon fiber/vinyl ester composite to enhance impact resistance in both room temperature (RT) and cryogenic conditions. Process adaptability of VARI was verified. 2 layers of XD10 interleaves enhanced impact resistance by 21.94% in RT and 31.17% at −70°C. Interlaminar shear strength and mode I interlaminar fracture toughness were analyzed to reveal the underlying mechanisms. XD10 nanofiber interleaves are found to be effective in changing interfacial failure mode from adhesive to cohesive. The growth of interlaminar cracks and shear damages were impeded in both temperatures, thereby enhancing impact resistance. This work proposes a new and effective method to enhance RT and cryogenic impact resistance of large‐scale carbon fiber/vinyl ester composite components.