Static and Dynamic Fatigue of Glass–Carbon Hybrid Composites in Fluid Environment

Abstract

Unidirectional glass fiber reinforced and glass-carbon fiber reinforced epoxy matrix composite samples (% glass to carbon fiber volume ratio 90: 10 and 75: 25)were subject to two-point bend rupture test in distilled water at 75 C and tension-tension cyclic test in both air and distilled water at 25 C. In the rupture test, while no obvious difference in rupture time was observed at larger deflections, glass– carbon hybrid samples showed prolonged rupture time in comparison to all-glass samples when loaded at 10% maximum deflection. When compared to samples tests in air, cyclic loading in water resulted in shorter fatigue lives for both all-glass and hybrid composite samples. However, hybrid samples showed better environmental fatigue resistance in water than all-glass samples, to 10 7 cycles. By incorporating appropriate amount of carbon fibers in glass fiber composite, long-term performance of glass–carbon hybrid composites under static and dynamic fatigue is substantially enhanced. It is demonstrated by the present study that the intra-ply hybrid approach is effective and economical in improving the durability of fiber reinforced polymer composites for long term applications.