Fatigue delamination of a carbon fabric/epoxy laminate with carbon nanotubes

This paper describes the results related to the crack growth rate measurement on double cantilever beam (DCB) specimens made of a carbon-fibre fabric-reinforced multifunctional epoxy composite. Two plates were evaluated where the resin was enhanced using a combination of 0.5% carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and Glycidyl POSS (GPOSS) flame retardant for one of the plates. Loading in mode I was displacement controlled with R = 0.1, f = 4 Hz and a constant maximum strain energy release rate (G(I))(max) during the cycle. The value of (G(I))(max) was defined to be from 20% up to 60% of the mode I interlaminar fracture toughness. The specimens enhanced by CNTs and GPOSS highlighted a significant decrease in the fatigue crack growth rate of approximately 80%. The crack growth rate was also observed to be significantly related to the interface of the weft and warp tows of the plain weave. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.