Improving flexural behaviour of CFRP composites using vascular channels and novel manufacturing techniques

Gökciler O. C., Geren N.

COMPOSITES PART A: APPLIED SCIENCE AND MANUFACTURING, cilt.212, ss.110254, 2027 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

Özet

Fibre-reinforced polymer composites (FRPCs) incorporating microvascular/vascular channels have attracted increasing attention because they enable multifunctional capabilities. In many engineering applications, these materials are primarily subjected to flexural loading. Although previous studies have examined the mechanical influence of microvascular channels, the effect of varying channel diameters on the flexural behaviour of CFRP composites has not yet been systematically investigated. In the current study, the influence of vascular channel diameter on the flexural behaviour of CFRP composites is experimentally examined using a novel mould-assisted hydraulic hot-press manufacturing technique. In addition to commonly reported channel diameters (0.25, 0.5, and 1 mm), larger diameters of 3 mm and 5 mm—not previously examined in the literature—were also investigated due to their potential to increase the second moment of area. Flexural tests were conducted based on the ASTM D790 framework. The results demonstrate that vascular channel integration can significantly enhance mechanical performance. Contrary to the prevailing literature, both flexural stiffness and nominal flexural strength increased with increasing channel diameter, reaching improvements of up to 70.23 % and 35.98 %, respectively, without any additional weight penalty. These improvements are associated with the relatively high fibre volume fraction and the increased second moment of area of the specimens.