Static and fatigue tensile properties of cross-ply carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy matrix composite laminates with thin ply thickness

Abstract

The static and tensile fatigue properties of cross-ply high-strength polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon (T800SC) fiber-reinforced epoxy matrix composites (CFRPs) with thin ply thickness were studied. The fiber orientations of the CFRP specimens were set to cross-ply with [0/90]10S (subscript S means symmetry), [(0)5/(90)5]2S, and [(0)10/(90)10]S. The static and tensile fatigue characteristics of cross-ply CFRPs with thick ply thickness with [0/90]2S and [(0)2/(90)2]S were also investigated for comparison. Under static loading, the tensile strength and failure strain of thinnest 90° ply CFRP specimens were higher than those of other 90° ply thickness ones. But, the tensile modulus and Poisson’s ratios were comparable among the cross-ply CFRP with thin and thick ply thickness specimens. Under fatigue loading, the fatigue response of thinnest 90° ply CFRP specimens were higher than those of other 90° ply thickness ones for lower fatigue cycle testing (< 105 cycles). Though, for higher fatigue cycle testing (> 105 cycles), the fatigue responses decreased with a decrease in the 90° ply thickness and the fatigue characteristics of the thinnest 90° ply CFRP specimen were lower than those of other cross-ply CFRP thin and thick ply thickness specimens.