Title: Self-Healing of Delamination Damage in Woven Composites via in Situ Thermal Remending

Authors: Alexander D. Snyder, Jason F. Patrick

DOI: 10.33599/nasampe/s.22.0820

Abstract: Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are attractive structural materials due to their corrosion resistance and high specific strength/stiffness. Despite these advantages, the lack of through-thickness reinforcement in laminated composites creates inherent susceptibility to fiber-matrix debonding, i.e., interlaminar delamination. This subsurface damage mode has proven difficult to detect and repair via conventional methods, and therefore remains a significant factor limiting the reliability of composite laminates in lightweight structures. Thus, novel approaches to mitigate incessant delamination damage, such as self-healing, are of tremendous interest.

Here we detail the development of an intrinsic self-healing strategy in a woven FRP composite laminate based on thermally-induced dynamic re-bonding of a 3D-printed thermoplastic interlayer. Our new platform has been deployed in both glass- and carbon-fiber composites offering application versatility. Advancing beyond prior work, self-repair occurs in situ via resistive heating and below the glass-transition temperature of the epoxy matrix, thereby maintaining 90% of the elastic modulus during healing. Remarkably, up to 20 rapid (minute-scale) self-healing cycles have been achieved with recovery reaching 100% of the interlayer toughened composite laminate. This latest self-healing advancement exhibits unprecedented potential for perpetual in-service repair. Moreover, the in situ heating capacity that enables thermal remending for mechanical recovery also engenders multi-functionality (e.g., deicing ability) to meet varied application demands.

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Conference: SAMPE 2022

Publication Date: 2022/05/23

SKU: TP22-0000000820

Pages: 11

Price: $22.00