• Composites Research
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.296-301
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• 2020

Laminated composite materials have excellent in-plane properties, but are vulnerable in thickness directions, making it easy to delamination when bending and torsion loads are applied. Thickness directional reinforcement methods of composite materials that delay delamination include Z-pinning, Stitching, Tufting, etc., and typically Z-pinning and Stitching method are commonly used. The Z-pinning is reinforcement method by inserting metal or carbon pin in the thickness direction of prepreg, and the conventional stitching process is a method of reinforcing the mechanical properties in the thickness direction by intersecting the upper and lower fibers on the preform. In this paper, I-fiber stitching method, which complement and improve weakness of Z-pinning and Stitching method, was proposed, and the static strength of composite single-lap joints using I-fiber stitching process were evaluated. The single-lap joints were fabricated by a co-curing method using an autoclave vacuum bag process. The thickness of the composite adherend was fixed, and 5 types of specimens were manufactured with varying the stitching pattern (5×5, 7×7) and angle (0°, 45°). From the test, the failure load of the specimen reinforced by the I-fiber stitching process was increased by up to 143% compared to that of specimen without reinforcement.

• Composites Research
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.322-327
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• 2022

Composite lap joints have been extensively used due to their excellent properties and the demand for light structures. However, due to the weak mechanical properties in the thickness direction, the lap joint is easily fractured. various reinforcement methods that delay fracture by dispersing stress concentration have been applied to overcome this problem, such as z-pinning and conventional stitching. The Z-pinning is reinforcement method by inserting metal or carbon pin in the thickness direction of prepreg, and the conventional stitching process is a method of reinforcing the mechanical properties in the thickness direction by intersecting the upper and lower fibers on the preform. I-fiber stitching method is a promising technology that combines the advantages of both z-pinning and the conventional stitching. In this paper, the static and fatigue strengths of the single-lap joints reinforced by the I-fiber stitching process were evaluated. The single-lap joints were fabricated by a co-curing method using an autoclave vacuum bag process and I-fiber reinforcing effects were evaluated according to adherend thickness and stitching angle. From the experiments, the thinner the composite joint specimen, the higher the I-fiber reinforcement effect, and Ifiber stitched single lap joints showed a 52% improvement in failure strength and 118% improvement in fatigue strength.

• Composites Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2023

Demand for energy consumption reduction is increasing according to the development expectations of future mobility. Lightweight structural materials are known as a method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency. In particular, fiber reinforced polymer composite (FRP) is attracting attention as a material that can replace existing metal alloys due to its excellent mechanical properties and light weight. In this paper, industrial applications and research trends of carbon fiber reinforced composites (CFRP, carbon FRP) and self-reinforced composites (SRC) were reviewed based on the reinforcement, polymer matrix, and manufacturing process. In order to overcome the expensive process cost and long manufacturing time of the epoxy resin-based autoclave method, which is mainly used in the aircraft field, mass production of CFRP-applied electric vehicles has been reported using a high-pressure resin transfer molding process including fast-curing epoxy. In addition, thermoplastic resin-based CFRP and interface enhancement methods to solve the recycling issue of carbon fiber composites were reviewed in terms of materials and processes. To form a perfect matrix-reinforcement interface, which is known as the major factor inducing the excellent mechanical properties of FRP, studies on SRC impregnated with the same matrix in polymer fibers have been reported. The physical and mechanical properties of SRC based on various thermoplastic polymers were reviewed in terms of polymer orientation and composite structure. In addition, a copolymer matrix strategy for extending the processing window of highly drawn polypropylene fiber-based SRC was discussed. The application of CFRP and SRC as lightweight structural materials can provide potential options for improving the energy efficiency of future mobility.