Hybrid fabrics for structural composites

Abstract

This article gives an insight into the design considerations that have been considered to design a technical hybrid fabric structure for Radome application. An attempt has been made to study empirical relationship between various structural parameters that have a major influence on the final composite properties. The hybrid fabric structures woven out of E-glass (warp) and PEEK (weft) and E-glass (warp) and polyester (weft) have been designed based on mathematical approach and expressed in terms of geometrical parameters in order to have a complete geometric specification of the fabric. An effort has also been made to understand in a comprehensive manner the interrelationships between geometrical properties of yarns and fabrics and their influence on processing of composites and their performance. The study shows that impregnation of resin within the fiber network is primarily responsible for intimate fiber-fiber contact that contributes for the final properties in the composite and provides a good interface area in the composite. The effect of short processing cycle is also attempted keeping in view the techno-economic aspects and it is found that long process cycle with stand in time at major transition temperatures gives useful properties compared to short process cycle. Glass-polyester-based composites are also prepared and studied to have relative performance of glass-PEEK composites. © SAGE Publications 2011.