Journal of Materials Science, Vol.43, No.13, 4391-4398, 2008
Characterization of long fiber thermoplastic/metal laminates
Long fiber thermoplastic (LFT) composite/metal laminate (LML) is a hybrid composite consisting of alternate layers of metals such as aluminum and an LFT composite, which combines advantages from both the constituents. The LFT/Al laminates (LMLs) were processed by compression molding and were characterized for their Young's modulus, mechanical strength, and low-velocity impact (LVI) properties. The average values of specific elastic modulus and specific tensile strength were approximately 20 GPa/(gcm(-3)) and 108.5 MPa/(gcm(-3)), respectively. Failure mechanisms included delamination between LFT composite and Al, fiber fracture and pullout in LFT composite, and shear fracture of aluminum and LFT composite layers. Rule-of-mixtures (ROM) predictions of laminate properties in tension compared well with the experimental values. Specific perforation energy of the laminates determined by LVI tests was 7.58 J/(kgm(-2)), which is significantly greater than that of the LFT composite alone, 1.72 J/(kgm(-2)). Overall, the LML showed significant improvement in the properties as compared to the LFT composite.