Effect of Prepreg Angle-Ply on the Dynamic, Mechanical, Tensile, Flexural, and Impact Properties of Non-Crimp Carbon Fiber Fabric/Epoxy Composites

Abstract

Since unidirectional (UD) prepregs are anisotropic in the fiber alignment direction, the alignment angle of carbon fibers plays a significant role in the mechanical and thermal properties of carbon fiber/epoxy composites. Non-crimp carbon fiber fabric/epoxy composites with different angle-plies of [0 degrees], [0 degrees/90 degrees] [0 degrees/45 degrees/90 degrees], and [0 degrees/30 degrees/60 degrees/90 degrees] stacking sequences were prepared by compression molding. The effect of prepreg angle-ply on the properties of resulting composites was explored. The [0 degrees] composite exhibited the highest dynamic mechanical, tensile, flexural and impact properties, whereas the [90 degrees] composite exhibited the lowest properties. The properties of the [0 degrees/90 degrees], [0 degrees/45 degrees/90 degrees], and [0 degrees/30 degrees/60 degrees/90 degrees] composites were intermediate between the [0 degrees] and [90 degrees] composites, depending on the angle-plies consisting of the composites. The present study indicates that prepreg angle-ply design should be importantly considered to manipulate their properties of non-crimp carbon fiber fabric-reinforced composites.