The behaviour of thermoplastic and thermoset carbon fibre composites subjected to low-velocity and high-velocity impact

The present paper describes the results from experimental and theoretical modelling studies on the behaviour of continuous carbon fibre/polymer matrix composites subjected to a relatively low-velocity or high-velocity impact, using a rigid, metallic impactor. Drop-weight and gas-gun tests are employed to conduct the low-velocity and high-velocity impact experiments, respectively. The carbon fibre composites are based upon a thermoplastic poly(ether–ether ketone) matrix (termed CF/PEEK) or a thermoset toughened epoxy matrix (termed CF/Epoxy), which has the same fibre architecture of a cross-ply [0₃/90₃]_2s lay-up. The studies clearly reveal that the CF/PEEK composites exhibit the better impact performance. Also, at the same impact energy of 10.5 ± 0.3 J, the relatively high-velocity test at 54.4 ± 1.0 m s⁻¹ leads to more damage in both types of composite than observed from the low-velocity test where the impactor struck the composites at 2.56 m s⁻¹. The computationally efficient, two-dimensional, elastic, finite element model that has been developed is generally successful in capturing the essential details of the impact test and the impact damage in the composites, and has been used to predict the loading response of the composites under impact loading.