Melt impregnation of woven glass fabric reinforced composites in situ modified with short glass fibers in the interlaminar free spacing: Morphology, microstructure and static mechanical properties

Abstract Woven fabric composites with thermoplastic matrices enable superior mechanical properties with low weight for applications in the field of sports, electronics, aviation, and automotive. In this study, the matrix rich areas of glass fabrics which provide an interlaminar free spacing were modified via in situ melt impregnation of Polyamide 6 (PA6) with varying contents of short glass fibers (sGF). The aim is to effectively use the interlaminar free spacing in a fabric to increase stiffness by filling the matrix rich free spacing with short glass fibers of tailored length distribution. It is shown that 2.6 vol% sGF located in the undulations of the fabric are able to increase the tensile modulus in orientation of the short fibers (sF) by 9% and create an even more pronounced anisotropic enhancement of 14% in compression modulus for both 4.1 and 5.7 vol% sGF and 40% in shear modulus for 2.6 vol% sGF.