Role of stable‐structural yarns and fabrics on the tensile and bending performance of carbon fiber resin composites

Abstract The component yarns and fabrics effected the formability and stability of preforms, and finally determined the performance of corresponding composites. In this research, four typical fabric structures of carbon fiber resin composites (CFRC) were introduced to conduct the comparative investigation. The stability of component yarns in natural state and in fabrics have been discussed at mesoscopic scale, and the main methods to improve the structural stability of preforms were proposed. Composites with and without stable‐structural fibers and fabrics were manufactured by the modified curing process, and the yarn cross‐sections in specimens were analyzed. The tensile and bending performance of these composite specimens was comparatively conducted to discuss the influence of stable preforms on the elastic properties. The fracture mode and mechanism of specimens were illustrated in meso‐scale. The results depicted that yarns and fabrics with stable‐structural cross‐section could ensure a high fiber volume fraction, reducing the curvature of load‐bearing yarns, and effectively reduce the yarn curvature along bearing direction. The high interfacial bonding strength of composites with stable geometrical fabrics exhibited the excellent in‐plane mechanical properties, and presented the obvious brittle fracture characteristics when the fibers fully exert their load‐bearing capacity. Highlights Stable‐structural fibers result in the prominent performance of composites. Performance of composites with stable preforms show the low dispersion. Stable cross‐section of component yarns can enhance the stability of preforms. Low curvature yarns lead to brittle fracture characteristics of composites.