Alexander Horn, Arturo Gomez, Brian Nyvang Legarth, Christian Berggreen
{"title":"Temperature Dependent Performance of Thermoplastic Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS) and Polyetherimide (PEI) Honeycomb Sandwiches Using Four-Point Bend Testing","authors":"Alexander Horn, Arturo Gomez, Brian Nyvang Legarth, Christian Berggreen","doi":"10.1007/s10443-026-10469-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10443-026-10469-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>To meet the growing demand for sustainable material solutions in structural aircraft components, thermoplastic sandwich materials represent a promising class of composites for material recycling. This study investigates the failure characteristics of seven thermoplastic honeycomb sandwich configurations, composed of two base polymers, Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS) and Polyetherimide (PEI), under shear-dominated four-point bend testing conducted at room temperature and at <span>(-55^{circ } C)</span>, corresponding to the conditions at flight altitude of transport aircrafts. Face sheet properties were obtained via Classical Lamination Theory using temperature-dependent polymer data, and intrinsic core properties were derived from a nonlinear finite-element model of a representative volume element. Well established analytical expressions were employed for stiffness and failure estimates, and the effect of interfacial compliance was quantified through a cohesive-interaction sensitivity analysis using a two-dimensional traction–separation law. For sandwich configurations with straight cell walls, experimental shear moduli were found to be in reasonable agreement with simulations in the most compliant direction, whereas in the most stiff direction, consistently lower values were measured, a trend consistent with manufacturing-induced geometric imperfections not represented in the idealized finite-element model. For configurations combining wavy cell walls with thin face sheets, larger deviations and greater scatter were observed, attributable to interfacial sliding that reduced apparent shear stiffness and flexural rigidity. At room temperature, failure was frequently initiated by cell-wall buckling. At low temperature, a shift toward brittle response with core-shear fracture and/or disbond growth was observed. Analytical predictions were accurate when buckling governed but were overpredicted when fracture or disbond dominated. Interfacial integrity was identified as the dominant driver of the variability of stiffness and strength, and inclusion of interface and fracture mechanics was deemed essential for reliable low temperature design. Promise for sustainable aerospace structures was indicated for folded-core sandwiches made of high-performance thermoplastics, provided that disbond and core distortion are mitigated.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":468,"journal":{"name":"Applied Composite Materials","volume":"33 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10443-026-10469-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147738821","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Garam Kim, Harry Lee, Rishabh Pammi, Swapneel Kulkarni, Benjamin Denos, Andreas Jung
{"title":"Comparative Performance of Threaded Inserts in Fiber-Reinforced Composite Laminates under Static and Fatigue Pull-Out Loading","authors":"Garam Kim, Harry Lee, Rishabh Pammi, Swapneel Kulkarni, Benjamin Denos, Andreas Jung","doi":"10.1007/s10443-026-10473-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10443-026-10473-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Due to the weak interlaminar strength of fiber-reinforced composite laminates, directly tapping threads into the laminate is generally not recommended. In monolithic composite laminates where through-bolting or sandwich-panel potting is not feasible, threaded inserts are commonly used to achieve reliable fastening and maintain structural integrity. Various insert types are commercially available, and selecting the appropriate configuration is critical for achieving robust joint performance. To compare the performance of different insert concepts, seven configurations were evaluated: a direct-threaded laminate, barbed inserts, screw-to-expand inserts, tapping inserts, tapping inserts with adhesive, inserts embedded during laminate fabrication, and embedded metal blocks tapped after cure. Static pull-out tests showed that press-fit type inserts (barbed and screw-to-expand) showed significantly lower strength, with the embedded metal block performing the worst overall. Among all types, the embedded insert demonstrated the highest pull-out capacity. Flexural pull-out fatigue tests were then conducted on the threaded and embedded inserts to assess durability under repeated loading. A custom flexural pull-out fatigue fixture was developed, and the results showed that the tapping insert with adhesive provided the greatest fatigue resistance. These findings offer practical guidance on the selection and use of threaded inserts in composite laminates, highlighting the strengths and limitations of each insert family and informing design choices for improved structural reliability and long-term performance.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":468,"journal":{"name":"Applied Composite Materials","volume":"33 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10443-026-10473-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147738573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sarina Schulte, Stephen Kroll, Franz Renz, Andrea Siebert-Raths
{"title":"Olive Stone Biochar for Tuning Mechanical, Electrical and Piezoresistive Properties of Flax Fiber-Reinforced Composites","authors":"Sarina Schulte, Stephen Kroll, Franz Renz, Andrea Siebert-Raths","doi":"10.1007/s10443-026-10464-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10443-026-10464-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Biochar powder from olive stones can be used as a functional additive to fabricate electrically conductive flax fiber-reinforced composites (FFRCs) for sustainable lightweight design. Additionally, the conductive composites can be used as self-strain sensing materials based on their good piezoresistive properties.</p><p>For this purpose, different electrical particle network morphologies were prepared via two process routes. Firstly, biochar was mixed into the epoxy matrix (CiM). Secondly, biochar was deposited on the fiber fabric using an aqueous dispersion (CoF). As a local conductive network closer to the fibers is formed, electrical conductivity is enabled at a lower carbon content in the composite.</p><p>The incorporation of biochar into FFRCs via CiM led to a 39% increase in Young’s modulus, improved the impact energy, did not cause embrittlement, but decreased the tensile strength. The effects were less pronounced with CoF. Accordingly, the mechanical properties can be tuned to optimize stiffness or tensile strength while maintaining electrical conductivity. The increase in Young’s modulus compensated the increased density of the composite that results from the biochar additive. Therefore, biochar from olive stones was identified as sustainable additive for use in FFRCs for stiffness-related lightweight applications. Biochar was compared with conductive carbon black as a fossil-based alternative. Carbon black has a lower percolation threshold than biochar, which results in a lower composite density, but showed no influence on the mechanical properties. It is therefore more suitable for tensile-, but not for stiffness- or bending-related applications than biochar.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture><span>The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.</span></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":468,"journal":{"name":"Applied Composite Materials","volume":"33 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10443-026-10464-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147737328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Guilherme J. Antunes e Sousa, Susana P. Silva, Fábio A. O. Fernandes, Ricardo J. Alves de Sousa
{"title":"Cork-Based Composite Materials for Multifunctional Engineering Applications: Processing, Performance and Research Challenges","authors":"Guilherme J. Antunes e Sousa, Susana P. Silva, Fábio A. O. Fernandes, Ricardo J. Alves de Sousa","doi":"10.1007/s10443-026-10468-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10443-026-10468-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Cork-based composite materials have emerged as multifunctional, lightweight, and environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional polymer foams in engineering applications requiring energy absorption, thermal insulation, and damage tolerance. This review provides a critical synthesis of advances in cork composites reported between 2015 and 2025, including additive manufacturing approaches, bio-based polymer systems, and impact-resistant structural configurations. Following PRISMA guidelines, 54 peer-reviewed articles were selected from Scopus and Web of Science and analysed using a process-structure-property framework. Cork integration reliably reduces density, provides thermal insulation, and improves damping in fused deposition modelling, stereolithography, and extrusion-based cementitious printing, however, at high cork loadings, printability and interfacial strength suffer. Hybridisation with biodegradable polymers, natural fibres, aerogels, and bio-resins increases acoustic, fire, and moisture-buffering performance in bio-based composite systems, but at the expense of stiffness, durability, and resistance to environmental ageing. Impact-oriented studies indicate that cork-based cores can outperform certain synthetic foams (e.g. EPS or PVC) under low-velocity and repeated impact, particularly in terms of energy absorption and recovery behaviour. Advanced hybrid concepts incorporating shear-thickening fluids and architected layers have been shown to extend performance limits. Despite these advances, major challenges remain, such as a lack of industrial-scale demonstrations, poor understanding of long-term durability under ultraviolet radiation, humidity, and thermal cycling, and a lack of standardised life-cycle assessment frameworks. This review identifies key research priorities necessary to propel cork composites from laboratory-scale development to reliable, high-performance engineering solutions, positioning cork not only as a sustainable substitute but also as an enabler for next-generation multifunctional composite systems in mobility, construction, aerospace, and energy applications.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":468,"journal":{"name":"Applied Composite Materials","volume":"33 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10443-026-10468-z.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147643043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xiaonan Wang, Yiwei Ouyang, Yiran Han, Xin Sun, Xiaoke Huang, Yang Liu, Xiaozhou Gong
{"title":"Effect of Lay-up Structures on Mechanical Properties of Yarn-Level Wrapped Flax/Basalt Woven Hybrid PLA Thermoplastic Composites","authors":"Xiaonan Wang, Yiwei Ouyang, Yiran Han, Xin Sun, Xiaoke Huang, Yang Liu, Xiaozhou Gong","doi":"10.1007/s10443-026-10465-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10443-026-10465-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>To investigate the regulatory effect of lay-up structures on the mechanical properties of yarn-level wrapped flax/basalt hybrid polylactic acid (PLA) thermoplastic composites, four types of composites with different lay-up structures were prepared. Their properties were systematically characterized through bending, tensile, and low-velocity impact tests, combined with fracture morphology analysis, to reveal the regulatory mechanism. The results showed that the pure basalt lay-up (B/B/B/B) exhibited the best strength (bending strength: 106.1 MPa; tensile strength: 19.16 MPa) but lacked sufficient toughness, while the pure flax lay-up (F/F/F/F) demonstrated excellent toughness but relatively low strength. The B/F/B/F alternating lay-up achieved the optimal overall performance, with a 201.9% increase in bending strength to 70.53 MPa compared to F/F/F/F, and a peak force of 1158.2 N under a 5 J impact. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) (<i>p</i> < 0.01) confirmed that the lay-up structure had a highly significant regulatory effect. A rational alternating lay-up design can balance the strength and toughness of the material, providing theoretical support for the structural design and engineering applications of high-performance green composites.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":468,"journal":{"name":"Applied Composite Materials","volume":"33 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147636921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Garam Kim, Rishabh Pammi, Guyuan Zhang, Waterloo Tsutsui
{"title":"Compression Properties and Impact Energy Absorption of Carbon Fiber-reinforced Composite Honeycomb Core","authors":"Garam Kim, Rishabh Pammi, Guyuan Zhang, Waterloo Tsutsui","doi":"10.1007/s10443-026-10466-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10443-026-10466-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study investigated the compression behavior and impact energy absorption characteristics of a carbon fiber (CF)-reinforced composite honeycomb core. Composite sandwich structures are widely used in the aerospace and automotive industries because of their high strength-to-weight ratios. While conventional honeycomb cores such as aluminum and meta-aramid paper are commonly used, they present challenges such as corrosion, moisture absorption, and limitations in achieving higher strength-to-weight ratios. To address these issues, a CF-reinforced composite honeycomb core was designed, fabricated, and experimentally evaluated. Corrugated CF composite sheets were manufactured using CF composite prepreg by compression molding and then bonded with adhesive to form the honeycomb core. Composite face sheets were attached to the top and bottom surfaces using a film adhesive to create sandwich structures, which were subsequently machined to appropriate sizes for compression and impact testing. Comparative analysis with conventional meta-aramid paper and aluminum core specimens showed that the CF composite honeycomb core demonstrated superior performance in terms of compression modulus, compressive strength, and strength-to-weight ratio. Additionally, the CF core showed enhanced impact energy absorption, as indicated by higher peak load, reduced indentation depth, and smaller damage extent around the impact site.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":468,"journal":{"name":"Applied Composite Materials","volume":"33 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10443-026-10466-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147637014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Artem Chystiakov, Osama A. Q. Ziada, Sheikh Ali Ahmed, Janka Kovacikova
{"title":"Experimental Evaluation of Characteristics in Large-Scale 3D-Printed Structures from Wood-Based Polymer Composites","authors":"Artem Chystiakov, Osama A. Q. Ziada, Sheikh Ali Ahmed, Janka Kovacikova","doi":"10.1007/s10443-026-10457-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10443-026-10457-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study investigates the mechanical and physical properties of a wood-based polymer composite DuraSense® 3D S50 Flex K to enhance its potential in large-scale additive manufacturing by studying the influence of printing orientation on the mechanical characteristics of the product. To assess performance, the specimens were produced with different printing layer orientations: at 0°, 30°, 45°, and 90° to the sample length, which corresponds to load application during the tests. Tensile strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, hardness, water absorption, thermophysical properties and microstructure were determined for the samples. The 0° specimens exhibited the highest tensile (15.39 MPa) and flexural strength (26.05 MPa), while the 90° orientation specimens showed reductions in strength of 72% and 69%, respectively. The modulus of elasticity also decreased by 71% at 90°, confirming anisotropy. Additional tests revealed a Brinell hardness of 179.9 N/mm<sup>2</sup>, a water absorption of 19.75%, with minimal dimensional change, and a thermal conductivity of 0.1553 W/m·K. Microscopic analysis showed porosity and uneven fibre distribution, indicating the need for composite optimisation. These findings confirm the importance of orientation-aware design in large-scale additive manufacturing and provide the background for future work focusing on the development of printing strategies and computational modelling to enhance print quality, interlayer adhesion, and performance in applications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":468,"journal":{"name":"Applied Composite Materials","volume":"33 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10443-026-10457-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147561971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ping Liu, Yujun Su, Shuaihang Liu, Lihua Pu, Yuan Li
{"title":"Refined Modeling and Damage Behavior of Honeycomb Sandwich Structure with Insert Under Pull-out and Shear Loading","authors":"Ping Liu, Yujun Su, Shuaihang Liu, Lihua Pu, Yuan Li","doi":"10.1007/s10443-026-10454-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10443-026-10454-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The paper studies the damage initiation and evolution of composite honeycomb sandwich structures with inserts subjected to pull-out and shear loadings by a combination of experimental and numerical methods. The mechanical responses, including load-displacement curves, were obtained through pull-out tests, and detailed damage analysis was conducted using 3D X-ray scanning technology. A damage model based on macro-failure theory and cohesive behavior was used to predict the mechanical behavior of the composite face sheets, and an equivalent thick orthotropic plate model based on sandwich panel theory was employed to model the honeycomb core. The experimental and numerical results show good agreement, demonstrating that the established refined finite element model of the honeycomb sandwich insert structure possesses high-precision damage prediction capability. Simulation results reveal that under pull-out loading, the damage in odd layers is primarily concentrated in the upper-right sector of the region, while even layers exhibit damage in the lower-left sector. Fsurthermore, the honeycomb core develops damage along a 45° direction driven by a buckling-shear-slip mechanism. Under shear loading, the strain concentration in the insert region leads to local bending of the honeycomb walls, and the damage expands from the region toward the free edges along the transverse direction until the final collapse.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":468,"journal":{"name":"Applied Composite Materials","volume":"33 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147561635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Davood Peyrow Hedayati, Rafael Schelkow, Michael Kucher, Robert Böhm
{"title":"Mechanical- Electrostatic Sequential Interaction Modeling in Structural Supercapacitors","authors":"Davood Peyrow Hedayati, Rafael Schelkow, Michael Kucher, Robert Böhm","doi":"10.1007/s10443-026-10452-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10443-026-10452-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Structural Supercapacitors (SSCs) are multifunctional carbon fiber-reinforced composites that combine mechanical load-bearing capacity with energy storage functionality. However, the interplay between mechanical deformation and electrostatic charge storage remains insufficiently understood. This study presents a quasi-static finite element sequential interaction modeling framework to investigate electro-mechanical phenomena at the microscale in SSCs. By explicitly excluding the Electric Double Layer (EDL) physics, the model focuses on how compressive stress influences the bulk electrostatic field distribution within a representative fiber-electrolyte architecture. This approach serves as a geometric benchmark to isolate first-order effects. Results reveal a deformation-induced evolution of electric field distribution, particularly near fiber-separator line interfaces, which in turn affects the local charge storage behavior. Although the overall capacitance is largely retained under compressive deformation, minor variations arise due to small changes in fiber proximity and the mechanism termed Geometric Electrostatic Screening. Parametric studies demonstrate that fiber volume fraction and spatial arrangement play a significant role in the capacitance, with optimized geometries enabling up to 20% improvement in charge storage. Furthermore, extending electrode length in the fiber-aligned direction enhances capacitance more effectively than increasing thickness due to electrostatic screening effects. This framework provides insights into the interplay between structural geometry and electrostatic performance, serving as a basis for the design of high-performance multifunctional composites.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":468,"journal":{"name":"Applied Composite Materials","volume":"33 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10443-026-10452-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147561633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Oluwafemi P. Akinmolayan, Muhammad Ali Bablu, James M. Manimala
{"title":"Digital Image Analytics for Evaluation of Nanoparticle Impregnation in Woven Fabrics","authors":"Oluwafemi P. Akinmolayan, Muhammad Ali Bablu, James M. Manimala","doi":"10.1007/s10443-026-10458-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10443-026-10458-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Surface and infiltrating treatments (impregnation) of woven fabrics using nanoparticles have been proven to improve their mechanical, optical, and aesthetic performance in diverse applications. The accuracy, uniformity, and repeatability of the nanoparticle impregnation process determine the quality of the functionalities bestowed on such flexible hybrid composites. Current evaluation techniques like various types of spectroscopy or microscopy are either resource-intensive or are practical only for very small sample sizes. Therefore, there is a critical need for a fast, full-field, cost-effective, non-destructive and reliable technique to evaluate the impregnation quality for woven fabrics. To this end, the development of a new approach using digital image analytics (DIA) to evaluate the uniformity and accuracy of nanoparticle impregnation in woven fabrics is explored in this study. In this study, the impregnation of 80 nm spherical silica nanoparticles into Kevlar 29 style 745 fabric is considered as the test case for all treatment levels. Three trackable heuristic markers are identified from grayscale value histograms of digital images to extract statistically-relevant data sets for neat and treated samples that enable correlation with nanoparticle impregnation. Heuristic feature shifts in grayscale value histograms and spatial frequency profiling correlate with different treatment levels, serving as quantitative metrics to assess uniformity and accuracy of nanoparticle impregnation in the fabric. Further, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy are used to validate the predictions from DIA, thus demonstrating its capability to act as a powerful new tool to evaluate hybrid materials that are seeing greater use in modern technologies.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":468,"journal":{"name":"Applied Composite Materials","volume":"33 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147561934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}