Impact and damage tolerance of shear thickening fluids-impregnated carbon and glass fabric composites

This work investigates impact and damage performance of shear thickening fluids-treated carbon and glass fabric composites. Carbon and glass fabrics were impregnated with shear thickening fluids at three different silica ratios (10–20 wt%) and infused with epoxy resin to convert thermoset composites using vacuum infusion method. Shear thickening fluids-treated fabrics and composites were subjected to 30 Joules and 20–100 Joules, respectively to analyse their impact behaviours. It was revealed that the addition of shear thickening fluids-enhanced energy absorption and maximum loads of carbon and glass fabrics due creating shear thickening effect during impact loading. Although shear thickening behaviour were not observed for composites due to creating a solid thermoset network around shear thickening fluids during impact testing, energy absorption of glass and carbon composites were increased by lowering the interfacial bonding and increasing ductility. Compression and compression after impact strength of glass and carbon composites were decreased after using shear thickening fluids-treated fabrics. However, they exhibited much higher residual strength compared to neat glass and carbon composites.