In-plane mechanical, thermal and viscoelastic properties of a satin fabric carbon/epoxy composite

The objective of this study was to determine the in-plane mechanical, viscoelastic and thermal properties of a satin fabric composite. This study was performed on a composite laminate material consisting of a satin weave carbon fabric impregnated with an amine cured epoxy resin. The in-plane quasi-static behavior including the failure modes under tension, compression and shear was analyzed and all mechanical properties including elastic moduli and strengths were determined. The viscoelastic properties including the glass transition temperature were determined as well as the coefficients of thermal expansion. These measured properties for the fabric composites were also correlated with their corresponding ones for the unidirectional composite with the same fiber and matrix.