Changes occurring in jute and coir fiber composites with 2-8% concentration of a NaOH treatment for 24 h were investigated, respectively, for void content, microscopy images, mechanical properties and water absorption. The jute and coir fibers were vacuum dried before molding composite specimens. Mechanical properties indicated good adhesion between natural fibers and PP. Jute fibers, when alkali-treated with 2% concentration for 24 h, showed best improvement in tensile strength by 40% and modulus by 9%, respectively, while coir fibers, when alkali-treated with 6% concentration for 24 h, showed best improvement in tensile strengths by 62% and modulus by 17%, respectively. With 2% concentration of alkali-treatments, the elongation of jute and coir composites reached 8% and 13.5%, respectively. Moisture absorption for jute and coir composites are 50% and 60% lower than untreated fiber composites, respectively.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have shown great potential for the reinforcement of polymers or fiber-reinforced composites. In this study, mechanical properties of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT)-filled plain-weave glass/epoxy composites intended for use in radar absorbing structures were evaluated with regard to filler loading, microstructure, and fiber volume fraction. The plain-weave composites containing MWNTs exhibited improved matrix-dominant and interlaminar fracture-related properties, that is, compressive and interlaminar shear strength. This is attributed to strengthening of the matrix rich region and the interface between glass yarns by the MWNTs. However, tensile properties were only slightly affected by the addition of MWNTs, as they are fiber-dominant properties.

The allylamine plasma treatment is used to modify the surface properties of vapor grown carbon fibers (VGCF). It is to improve the interfacial bonding between the VGCF and epoxy matrix. The allylamine plasma process was performed by batch process in a vacuum chamber, using gas injection followed by plasma discharge for the durations of 20, 40 and 60 min. The interdependence of mechanical properties on the VGCF contents, treatment time and interfacial bonding between VGCF/ep was investigated. The interfacial bonding between VGCF and epoxy matrix was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs of nanocomposites fracture surfaces. The changes in the mechanical properties of VGCF/ep, such as the tensile modulus and strength were discussed. The mechanical properties of allylamine plasma treated (AAPT) VGCF/ep were compared with those of raw VGCF/ep. The tensile strength and modulus of allyamine plasma treated VGCF40 (40 min treatment)/ep demonstrated a higher value than those of other samples. The mechanical properties were increased with the allyamine plasma treatment due to the improved adhesion at VGCF/ep interface. The modification of the carbon nanofibers surface was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). SEM micrographs showed an excellent dispersion of VGCF in epoxy matrix by ultrasonic method.

Safe installation and operation of high-pressure composite cylinders for hydrogen storage are of primary concern. It is unavoidable for the cylinders to experience temperature variation and significant thermal input during service. The maximum failure pressure that the cylinder can sustain is affected due to the dependence of composite material properties on temperature and complexity of cylinder design. Most of the analysis reported for high-pressure composite cylinders is based on simplifying assumptions and does not account for complexities like thermo-mechanical behavior and temperature dependent material properties. In the present work, a comprehensive finite element simulation tool for the design of hydrogen storage cylinder system is developed. The structural response of the cylinder is analyzed using laminated shell theory accounting for transverse shear deformation and geometric nonlinearity. A composite failure model is used to evaluate the failure pressure under various thermo-mechanical loadings. A back-propagation neural network (NNk) model is developed to predict the maximum failure pressure using the analysis results. The failure pressures predicted from NNk model are compared with those from test cases. The developed NNk model is capable of predicting the failure pressure for any given loading condition.

Nonlinear mechanical behaviors of unidirectional carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) laminates using cup-stacked carbon nanotubes (CSCNTs) dispersed epoxy are evaluated and compared with those of CFRP laminates without CSCNTs. Off-axis compression tests are performed to obtain the stress-strain relations. One-parameter plasticity model is applied to characterize the nonlinear response of unidirectional laminates, and nonlinear behaviors of laminates with and without CSCNTs are compared. Clear improvement in stiffness of off-axis specimens by using CSCNTs is demonstrated, which is considered to contribute the enhancement of the longitudinal compressive strength of unidirectional laminates and compressive strength of multidirectional laminates. Finally, longitudinal compressive strengths are predicted based on a kink band model including the nonlinear responses in order to demonstrate the improvement in longitudinal strength of CFRP by dispersing CSCNTs.

Off-axis compressive deformation behavior of a unidirectional CFRP laminate at high temperature and its strain-rate dependence in a quasi-static range are examined for various fiber orientations. By comparing the off-axis compressive and tensile behaviors at an equal strain rate, the effect of different loading modes on the flow stress level, rate-dependence and nonlinearity of the off-axis inelastic deformation is elucidated. The experimental results indicate that the compressive flow stress levels for relatively larger off-axis angles of $30^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$ and $90^{\circ}$ are about 50 percent larger than in tension for the same fiber orientations, respectively. The nonlinear deformations under off-axis tensile and compressive loading conditions exhibit significant strain-rate dependence. Similar features are observed in the fiber-orientation dependence of the off-axis flow stress levels under tension and compression and in the off-axis flow stress differential in tension and compression, regardless of the strain rate. A phenomenological theory of viscoplasticity is then developed which can describe the tension-compression asymmetry as well as the rate dependence, nonlinearity and fiber orientation dependence of the off-axis tensile and compressive behaviors of unidirectional composites in a unified manner. It is demonstrated by comparing with experimental results that the proposed viscoplastic constitutive model can be applied with reasonable accuracy to predict the different, nonlinear and rate-dependent behaviors of the unidirectional composite under off-axis tensile and compressive loading conditions.

$\beta$-Tricalcium phosphate ($\beta$-TCP) particles reinforced bioresorbable plastics poly-L-lactide (PLLA) composites were prepared by injection molding. The nominal weight ratio of $\beta$-TCP was selected as 5, 10 and 15%. In order to clarify effects of the PLLA crystallinity on the mechanical properties, the specimens were heat treated isothermally. Results of differential scanning calorimetry indicated that the PLLA crystallinity increased with increasing heat treatment temperature. Bending and compressive tests were conducted on the specimen with different $\beta$-TCP contents and crystallinities. The results show that the bending and compressive moduli increased with increasing $\beta$-TCP contents and crystallinity. On the other hand, bending strength decreased with increasing $\beta$-TCP contents. Maximum bending strength was obtained at the heat treatment of $70^{\circ}C$ for 24 h, whereas compressive 0.2% proof strength increased with increasing heat treatment temperature. This difference is attributed to the difference in the microscopic damages.