Impact and Post-Impact Damage Response of Interlayer Nonwoven Reinforced Hybrid Composites

This study aims to increase the ductility and the damage tolerance capability of composite structures with interlayer nonwoven reinforcement. The novelty of this study stems from its innovative approach: a comprehensive examination of the arrangement of warp and weft fibres, as well as the preform layer, coupled with both intra-layer and inter-layer hybridization, all while accounting for the incorporation of nonwoven reinforcement. The flexural, compressive, impact and post-impact compressive strengths of unreinforced and interlayer nonwoven reinforced glass/carbon/epoxy hybrid composites are carefully investigated and compared. The nonwoven reinforcement led to a reduction in flexural strength and modulus for composite structures, while enhancing their strain, thus imparting greater ductility to the structure. Both hybridization and interlayer nonwoven reinforcement increased the peak forces of composites while reducing deformations. The cracks occurring in the composite structure under load were arrested by the barrier created by the nonwoven surfaces used between the layers, which was considered an enhancement in the damage tolerance of composite structures.