An experimental and numerical investigation of impact behaviour of TIC added epoxy reinforced hybrid composites

In this study, hybrid composite plates are prepared by titanium carbide (TiC) reinforced epoxy resin including bare, 1%, 3%, 5%wt. with mixture of kevlar/glass fabrics. For all prepared composite panels, their mechanical properties and impact behaviour measurements are investigated experimentally and numerically. Hand lay-up method was used to prepare polymer composite materials. Plain aramid fiber (Kevlar 49) with surface area of 207 g/m2, E-glass fibers with 300 g/m2, F-1564 epoxy resin is used as reinforcement fiber and matrix materials, respectively. To determine the mechanical properties of the composite panels, modulus of elasticity, shear modulus and poission ratio is obtained from universile tensile test equipment. The composite plates were cut into dimensions of 100 x 100 mm. Three layers of aramid fiber is set in type as one layer E-glass and totally prepared a 12-layer plate for each set sample. The data obtained from the measurements are compared with the numerical data calculated by Ansys-workbench explicit dynamic program. As a result, impact test such as load-deflection, force-time, absorbed energy-time, velocity-time curves are performed under 10J, 20J and 30J impact energy. Depending on the concentration of TiC in the composite panel, it is clearly seen that 3%wt. of TiC addition gives the highest mechanical properties (increases %15 of elastisite modulus) and impact resistance (increases upto 6% of absorbed energy). Fiber segregations and breakage is observed for all applied loads while no perforation appeared on the bottom faces of composite panels. It was seen that the results obtained by numerical analyzes were compatible with the experimental results.