Comparison study of fixed and variable blade interfacial testing systems for the characterisation of thermoset composite

Malone, Beth and Reynolds, Oscar and Lunn, Rebecca and Thomason, James and Minty, Ross F. (2024) Comparison study of fixed and variable blade interfacial testing systems for the characterisation of thermoset composite. In: 21st European Conference on Composite Materials, 2024-07-02 - 2024-07-05.

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Abstract

The microbond test is widely used in the characterisation of fibre-matrix interfacial shear strength (IFSS), however a lack of standardisation means that methodology, sample preparation and equipment vary across research groups. Most commonly, a set of adjustable parallel blades are used to apply loading to the microdroplet, introducing variation in blade placement between users. Prior research indicates that factors such as blade placement, droplet embedded length, and fibre surface variation all contribute to the high scatter in results. The present work focuses on establishing a direct comparison between Dia-Stron’s LEX820 IFSS equipment with a fixed blade setup, and a variable blade rig system in which the blade gap is controlled using a digital micrometer. Results of the comparison study showed that the use of a fixed blade system resulted in significant differences in the shear strength determined, with the variable blade system and fixed blade system having an average IFSS of 47.7 MPa and 41.8 MPa respectively. Furthermore, investigation into the effect of the fibre gauge length is conducted, with initial findings indicating that the gauge length may have an effect on the measured interface strength.

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