Deformation due to sliding of single and woven carbon tows in dry and epoxy-lubricated conditions

Abstract

This experimental work focuses on the evaluation of deformation mechanisms due to sliding between carbon fiber tows with a flat tool in dry and lubricated with liquid resin conditions. The experiments were carried out on manually woven and single tows. The effect of angle between tow axes and sliding direction was also studied. The topography of the tows in contact with a sliding transparent glass plate was measured with a 3D optical microscope before and after sliding. These measurements revealed a decrease of roughness with sliding in all tested conditions, a contraction of lubricated single tows in perpendicular to sliding orientation, and high residual displacements in lubricated woven tows in 0°/90° orientation and dry single tows in perpendicular to sliding orientation.