Ultra-stiff and strong composites for structures with complex geometries
Reference number | |
Coordinator | CHALMERS TEKNISKA HÖGSKOLA AKTIEBOLAG - Industri- och materialvetenskap |
Funding from Vinnova | SEK 800 000 |
Project duration | October 2018 - June 2019 |
Status | Completed |
Venture | The strategic innovation programme SIP LIGHTer |
Call | 2018-00728-en |
Purpose and goal
The material developed finds its inspiration in nature. Nature’s structural materials feature high stiffness, strength and damage tolerance. These materials uses staggered stiff inclusions embedded in a soft matrix, where the stiff inclusion carries the load and provides stiffness. Whereas the thin soft matrix transfers loads via shear and provides slip-planes in the material. Furthermore, the inclusions are considered two-dimensional materials as they have large length to thickness aspect ratios.
Expected results and effects
Here, we mimic the discontinuous architecture of natural composites to realise significantly stiffer and stronger man-made composites than ever before. Here, ultra-high modulus CFRP thin tapes constitute the stiff two-dimensional inclusions. Given the tape thickness of approximately 20 micrometre, very high volume fractions of the stiff tapes can be achieved. Use of short, thin, tapes is found to allow processing of structures from ultra-high modulus carbon fibres. Process needs to be improved to allow us to manufactur compsoites with fibre volume fractions of 60% or higher.
Planned approach and implementation
The project team collaborated in the material development and analyses to demonstrate 200 micrometre thick isotropic composite plates with stiffness in the range of 90-160 GPa, strength of 640-935 MPa and strain to failure (c.f. first-ply-failure) in the range 0.4-1.5% depending on the choice of fibre.