• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.71-74
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• 2003

The cell modeling homogenization method to derive the constitutive equation considering the microstructures of the fiber reinforced composites has been previously developed for composites with simple microstructures such as 2D plane composites and 3D rectangular shaped composites. Here, the method has been further extended for 3D circular braided composites, utilizing B-spline curves to properly describe the more complex geometry of 3D braided composites. For verification purposes, the method has been applied for orthotropic elastic properties of the 3D circular braided glass fiber reinforced composite, in particular for the tensile property. Prepregs of the specimen have been fabricated using the 3D braiding machine through RTM (resin transfer molding) with epoxy as a matrix. Experimentally measured uniaxial tensile properties agreed well with predicted values obtained fer two volume fractions.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

Hydrolysis resistance and mechanical property changes of polyketone (POK)/glass fiber (GF) composites were investigated for GF concentrations varying between 30 and 50%. The hydrolysis resistance of GF filled POK and polyamide66 (PA66, hydrolysis resistant grade) composites were compared. As shown by the experimental results, increasing the immersion time of the composites in a monoethylene glycol (MEG)/water solution at $120^{\circ}C$ had no impact or resulted in slightly decreased mechanical properties such as the tensile strength, tensile modulus, and strain at break in case of POK composites, whereas the mechanical properties of PA66 composites showed a significant drop. Increasing GF concentrations increased the tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, and flexural modulus of POK composites; however, impact strength did not show significant changes. Hydrolysis mechanisms of POK and PA66 are discussed.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.186-194
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• 2011

Natural fiber/natural rubber composites were fabricated by uniformly compounding natural rubber and cellulose- based natural fiber kenaf and then by compression molding. The effect of kenaf fiber content on their vulcanization behavior, hardness, tensile properties, tear strength and static and dynamic properties was investigated. The contents of kenaf fiber in the composites were 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 phr, compared to natural rubber and additives. The result indicated that various properties of natural rubber depended on the kenaf fiber content. With increasing kenaf fiber content, the torque for vulcanization of natural rubber was increased whereas the vulcanization time was reduced as well. The hardness, tensile modulus and tear strength of kenaf/natural rubber composites were gradually decreased with the fiber content whereas the tensile strength and elongation at break were decreased. Also, with increasing the kenaf fiber content the dynamic property of natural rubber was changed more greatly than the static property. The loss factor, which is closely related with the damping or absorption of the energy given to natural rubber, was proportionally increased with the fiber content.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 2009

This paper provides a brief summary of the performance of an innovative slip hardening twisted steel fiber in comparison with other fibers including straight steel smooth fiber, high strength steel hooked fiber, SPECTRA (high molecular weight polyethylene) fiber and PVA fiber. First the pull-out of a single fiber is compared under static loading conditions, and slip rate-sensitivity is evaluated. The unique large slip capacity of T-fiber during pullout is based on its untwisting fiber pullout mechanism, which leads to high equivalent bond strength and composites with high ductility. Due to this large slip capacity a smaller amount of T-fibers is needed to obtain strain hardening tensile behavior of fiber reinforced cementitious composites. Second, the performance of different composites using T-fibers and other fibers subjected to tensile and flexural loadings is described and compared. Third, strain rate effect on the behavior of composites reinforced with different types and amounts of fibers is presented to clarify the potential application of HPFRCC for seismic, impact and blast loadings.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.24-29
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• 2008

Polypropylene-natural fiber composites have been prepared and their rheological properties during mixing and thermal properties were investigated. Two types of natural fibers (cotton fiber and wood fiber) were compared. On increasing fiber contents, the torque values of composites were increased, where the cotton fiber exhibited higher increase in torques. The torque values of composites were higher as the MI of PP decreased. X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry results showed an increase in the crystallization temperature but a decrease of crystallinity of the PP/natural fiber composites on increasing fiber contents.

• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.372-379
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• 2006

The surface topography, tensile properties, and thermal properties of ramie fibers were investigated as reinforcement for fully biodegradable and environmental-friendly 'green' composites. SEM micrographs of a longitudinal and cross sectional view of a single ramie fiber showed a fibrillar structure and rough surface with irregular cross-section, which is considered to provide good interfacial adhesion with polymer resin in composites. An average tensile strength, Young's modulus, and fracture strain of ramie fibers were measured to be 627 MPa, 31.8 GPa, and 2.7 %, respectively. The specific tensile properties of the ramie fiber calculated per unit density were found to be comparable to those of E-glass fibers. Ramie fibers exhibited good thermal stability after aging up to $160^{\circ}C$ with no decrease in tensile strength or Young's modulus. However, at temperatures higher than $160^{\circ}C$ the tensile strength decreased significantly and its fracture behavior was also affected. The moisture content of the ramie fiber was 9.9 %. These properties make ramie fibers suitable as reinforcement for 'green' composites. Also, the green composites can be fabricated at temperatures up to $160^{\circ}C$ without reducing the fiber properties.

• Advanced Composite Materials
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.283-298
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• 2007

Environment-friendly composites reinforced with bagasse fiber (BF), a kind of natural fiber as the remains from squeezed sugarcane, were fabricated by injection molding and press molding. As appropriate matrices for injection molding and press molding, polypropylene (PP) and polycaprolactone-cornstarch (PCL-C) were selected, as a typical recyclable resin and biodegradable resin, respectively. The mechanical properties of BF/PP composites were investigated in view of fiber mass fraction and injection molding conditions. And the mechanical properties and the biodegradation of BF/PCL composites were also evaluated. In the case of injection molding, the flexural modulus increased with an increase in fiber mass fraction, and the mechanical properties decreased with an increase in cylinder temperature due to the thermal degradation of BF. The optimum conditions increasing the flexural properties and the impact strength were $90^{\circ}C$ mold temperature, 30 s injection interval, and in the range of 165 to $185^{\circ}C$ cylinder temperature. On the other hand, as to BF/PCL-C fully-green composites, both the flexural properties and the impact strength increased with an increase in fiber mass fraction. It is considered that the BF compressed during preparation could result in the enhancement in mechanical properties. The results of the biodegradability test showed the addition of BF caused the acceleration of weight loss, which increased further with increasing fiber content. This reveals that the addition and the quantities of BF could promote the biodegradation of fully-green composites.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.18-33
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• 2008

This paper presents design optimization of a new Active Twist Rotor (ATR) blade and conducts its aeroelastic analysis in forward flight condition. In order to improve a twist actuation performance, the present ATR blade utilizes a single crystal piezoelectric fiber composite actuator and the blade cross-sectional layout is designed through an optimization procedure. The single crystal piezoelectric fiber composite actuator has excellent piezoelectric strain performance when compared with the previous piezoelectric fiber composites such as Active Fiber Composites (AFC) and Macro Fiber Composites (MFC). Further design optimization gives a cross-sectional layout that maximizes the static twist actuation while satisfying various blade design requirements. After the design optimization is completed successfully, an aeroelastic analysis of the present ATR blade in forward flight is conducted to confirm the efficiency in reducing the vibratory loads at both fixed- and rotating-systems. Numerical simulation shows that the present ATR blade utilizing single crystal piezoelectric fiber composites may reduce the vibratory loads significantly even with much lower input-voltage when compared with that used in the previous ATR blade. However, for an application of the present single crystal piezoelectric actuator to a full scaled rotor blade, several issues exist. Difficulty of manufacturing in a large size and severe brittleness in its material characteristics will need to be examined.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.141-148
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• 2004

This paper present the experimental research investigating the influence of material factors such as a type or amount of superplasticizer, velocity agent, mineral admixture and steel fiber on the workability of high strength steel fiber reinforced cementitious composites. As for the test results, it was found that the workability of high strength steel fiber reinforced cementitious composites can be improved when the material factors were matched properly in amount and composition. Furthermore, it was shown that the smaller value of the aspect ratio of steel fiber improved the workability of fiber reinforced cementitious composites. And the steel fiber reinforced cementitious composites with better workability showed the enhanced compressive strength and flexural strength.

• Composites Research
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.383-387
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• 2023

Carbon fiber-reinforced composites have excellent mechanical properties. However, the fracture toughness is a disadvantage due to brittle failure mode. The fracture toughness can be enhanced using hybridization with large-elongation fibers. In this study, polyamide (aramid) fibers are hybridized with carbon fiber with various stacking sequences. As a result, the Izod impact strength was enhanced by 63% with 25% aramid fiber hybridization. It is also shown that there is an optimal point in laminated composite hybridization, [CF/CAF₂/CF]_s stacking sequence.