Build and raster orientation effects on CFRP onyx/aramid impact absorption

Composite materials fabricated via additive manufacturing are becoming more relevant in ready-for use products used in engineering applications like aerospace structures, propellers, electric vehicles, or sandwich cores. Continuous Fiber Reinforced Polymeric (CFRP) composites are 3D-printed composites with tailor-made properties due to the capability of the printing process to deposit matrix and fiber whenever required. However, CFRP products behave differently and have lower mechanical properties than traditional composites. This study aimed to analyze the impact strength of CFRP specimens with gyroid infill and the effects of two build (flat and on-edge) and two raster (0° and 45°) orientations on impact behavior. The gyroid infill helps to obtain a light-weight structure and it has been used in energy absorption applications showing excellent mechanical behavior in thermoplastic 3D-products. The specimens were manufactured using Onyx as the matrix and aramid fiber as the reinforcement materials. The impact energy absorption of CFRP composites was measured using unnotched Izod impact specimens. The impact tests results were statistically analyzed, revealing that the build orientation directly and significantly affects the impact behavior, resulting in higher impact absorption when flat orientation is used to produce CFRP composites. The impact strength of CFRP composites increased 8 times, and 2 times for flat and on-edge oriented specimens, respectively compared to pure Onyx specimens. The variation in impact energy absorption between raster orientations in both build orientations was not significant, the difference in flat-oriented specimens at 0° and 45° was only 0.2 J, and between on-edge-oriented specimens at 0° and 45° was only 0.089 J. Also, the after impact specimens were analyzed to categorize the different failure modes observed. The after-impact analysis showed poor impregnation between aramid and onyx layers, causing delamination, fiber bridging, and fiber exposure failures. The combination of Aramid, Onyx, and a non-solid infill (gyroid) demonstrated positive results in impact behavior, obtaining high-impact absorption (165 kJ/m²) with no more than 56 % of fiver volume. The impact properties information of CFRP composites made with aramid fibers is still very scarce, joined to the lack of information on the impact properties of CFRP composites with non-solid infill, like gyroids or sinusoidal path infills. The results of this research open the possibility of using non-solid infill in CFR process that can be used to manufacture and test ready-for-use CFRP products in tasks that require high-strength, low-weight structures and impact energy absorption.