Evaluation of carbon‐fiber‐reinforced thermoplastic matrices in a flat braid process

Abstract An investigation was conducted to evaluate the effect of blending thermoplastic filament fibers with carbon filament fibers in varying yarn forms to study the efficiency of matrix wetting and infiltration into a laminate. Poly(etheretherketone) (PEEK) and poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS) were studied in commingled, DREF, and powder form, as a flat triaxial braid. The as‐braided and laminated specimens were both subjected to tensile testing and optical microscopy to establish the efficiency of the impregnation process. It was observed that both thermoplastic matrices commingled with carbon yarn maximized the tensile properties and produced the best quality laminate. To impart the best translational properties of the thermoplastic matrix to the carbon/thermoplastic composite, improvements are necessary in the commingling and powder infiltration processes.