Mode I interlaminar fracture path evolution and mechanism in CFRP composites interleaved with high-loading particles

IF 7.8 2区材料科学 Q1 MATERIALS SCIENCE, COMPOSITES

Composite Structures Pub Date : 2026-08-01 Epub Date: 2026-07-29 DOI:10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120716

Xiao Wang, Yonglyu He, Zhihan Wu, Longbin Liu, Ke Duan, Jianwei Zhang, Qiang Liu, Liaojun Yao, Qingfeng Huang

{"title":"Mode I interlaminar fracture path evolution and mechanism in CFRP composites interleaved with high-loading particles","authors":"Xiao Wang, Yonglyu He, Zhihan Wu, Longbin Liu, Ke Duan, Jianwei Zhang, Qiang Liu, Liaojun Yao, Qingfeng Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.compstruct.2026.120716","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are widely used in the aerospace industry owing to their high specific strength and modulus. To expand their utility, structure–function integration is increasingly pursued by incorporating high-loading functional fillers into interlaminar resin-rich regions. However, the interlaminar behavior of such highly filled composites is complex, and their Mode I interlaminar fracture characteristics and crack propagation mechanism remain poorly understood. To fill this gap, specimens with varying high particle mass fractions were fabricated via a multi-layer resin film infusion (MLRFI) process, to systematically investigate the effects of highly filled particles on their Mode I interlaminar fracture behavior and crack propagation mechanism. Results show that 33.3 vol% filler loading only induced local crack deflection with limited toughening effect. At 50 vol% filler loading, the crack propagation mode shifted from interlaminar-dominated to synergistic interlaminar-intralaminar propagation, fully activating energy dissipation mechanisms and increasing Mode I fracture toughness by 70.5%. Conversely, excessive 60 vol% filler loading introduced numerous weak interfaces, leading to an interlaminar-dominated crack path and reduced fracture resistance. Furthermore, a high-fidelity embedded finite element model (EFEM) was established, which reveals how interleaved high-loading particles mediate composite damage evolution, providing a reliable reference for interlaminar cracking prediction in such composites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":281,"journal":{"name":"Composite Structures","volume":"394 ","pages":"Article 120716"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8000,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Composite Structures","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0263822326006811","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2026/7/29 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MATERIALS SCIENCE, COMPOSITES","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are widely used in the aerospace industry owing to their high specific strength and modulus. To expand their utility, structure–function integration is increasingly pursued by incorporating high-loading functional fillers into interlaminar resin-rich regions. However, the interlaminar behavior of such highly filled composites is complex, and their Mode I interlaminar fracture characteristics and crack propagation mechanism remain poorly understood. To fill this gap, specimens with varying high particle mass fractions were fabricated via a multi-layer resin film infusion (MLRFI) process, to systematically investigate the effects of highly filled particles on their Mode I interlaminar fracture behavior and crack propagation mechanism. Results show that 33.3 vol% filler loading only induced local crack deflection with limited toughening effect. At 50 vol% filler loading, the crack propagation mode shifted from interlaminar-dominated to synergistic interlaminar-intralaminar propagation, fully activating energy dissipation mechanisms and increasing Mode I fracture toughness by 70.5%. Conversely, excessive 60 vol% filler loading introduced numerous weak interfaces, leading to an interlaminar-dominated crack path and reduced fracture resistance. Furthermore, a high-fidelity embedded finite element model (EFEM) was established, which reveals how interleaved high-loading particles mediate composite damage evolution, providing a reliable reference for interlaminar cracking prediction in such composites.

查看原文本刊更多论文

高加载颗粒交织CFRP复合材料层间I型断裂路径演化及机理

碳纤维增强聚合物（CFRP）复合材料以其高比强度和高模量在航空航天工业中得到广泛应用。为了扩大其用途，越来越多的人通过在层间富含树脂的区域中加入高负荷功能填料来追求结构-功能的整合。然而，这种高填充复合材料的层间行为是复杂的，其I型层间断裂特征和裂纹扩展机制尚不清楚。为了填补这一空白，通过多层树脂膜注入（MLRFI）工艺制备了不同颗粒质量分数的试样，系统地研究了高填充颗粒对其I型层间断裂行为和裂纹扩展机制的影响。结果表明，33.3%的填料只引起局部裂纹挠曲，增韧效果有限。在50 vol%填料加载时，裂纹扩展模式从层间为主转变为层间-层内协同扩展，充分激活能量耗散机制，I型断裂韧性提高70.5%。相反，如果填充量超过60 vol%，则会产生许多弱界面，导致层间为主的裂纹路径，降低抗断裂能力。建立了高保真嵌入有限元模型（EFEM），揭示了交错高载荷颗粒对复合材料损伤演化的影响，为复合材料层间裂纹预测提供了可靠的参考依据。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Composite Structures 工程技术-材料科学：复合

CiteScore

12.00

自引率

12.70%

发文量

1246

审稿时长

78 days

期刊介绍： The past few decades have seen outstanding advances in the use of composite materials in structural applications. There can be little doubt that, within engineering circles, composites have revolutionised traditional design concepts and made possible an unparalleled range of new and exciting possibilities as viable materials for construction. Composite Structures, an International Journal, disseminates knowledge between users, manufacturers, designers and researchers involved in structures or structural components manufactured using composite materials. The journal publishes papers which contribute to knowledge in the use of composite materials in engineering structures. Papers deal with design, research and development studies, experimental investigations, theoretical analysis and fabrication techniques relevant to the application of composites in load-bearing components for assemblies, ranging from individual components such as plates and shells to complete composite structures.