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Design, Fabrication and Analysis of Advanced Polymer Based Kevlar-49

Composite Material

Article  in  Applied Mechanics and Materials · July 2014

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.592-594.122

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Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 592-594 (2014) pp 122-127
Online available since 2014/Jul/15 at www.scientific.net
© (2014) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.592-594.122

Design, Fabrication and Analysis of Advanced Polymer Based Kevlar-49

Composite Material

M.Kaliraj1,a*, P.Narayanasamy2,b, M.Rajkumar3,c, M.Mohammed Mohaideen4,d

and I.Neethi Manickam5,e
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, AAA College of Engineering and Technology,
Virudhunagar-626005, Tamil Nadu, India
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kamaraj College of Engineering and Technology,
Virudhunagar-626001, Tamil Nadu, India
3
R.V.S college of Engineering and technology, Dindigul-624005, Tamil Nadu, India
4
Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Infant Jesus College of Engineering, Thoothukudi-
628851, Tamil Nadu, India
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mahakavi Bharathiyar College of Technology,
Vasudevanallur-627755, Tamil Nadu, India
a
kaiserkarthik7@gmail.com, bnarayananx5@gmail.com, cvathilairaj@gmail.com,
d
mohdmohaideen@yahoo.co.in, inm_nec@rediffmail.com

Key words: Kevlar-49 fibers, Epoxy resin, Graphite filler, and mechanical properties.

Abstract
The fatigue behavior of reinforced composites is complex and the present knowledge of
fatigue study still needs extensive investigation of the micromechanical composite behavior. In
fiber reinforced composites mechanical properties are highly dependent on their compositions, the
matrix type as well as the volume fraction of the reinforcement and their arrangements such as
random orientation and distribution, which increase the complexity in the study of fatigue damage
behavior. There exist several classes of models to predict the fatigue life or the fatigue degradation
of fiber reinforced composites but there exists so far no fatigue model that can be applied to a wide
range of fiber reinforced composites. Thus, modifications of fatigue models are always needed in
accordance with the micromechanical behavior of different fiber/matrix composites. In this paper
the fatigue failure is rectified by using polymer based Kevlar composite material. The design and
fabrication involves the design of polymer matrix like as fiber and resin, hardener etc. Kevlar-49 is
chosen for as fabricating material to carry out this work. The fabrication set up is made by Vacuum
Bag and it is demonstrated satisfactorily.
I. Introduction
Many of the modern industrial application and technologies require materials with superior
properties that cannot be met by conventional monolithic material such as, metal alloys, ceramics
and polymers. Considering the principle of the combined action, better properties can be obtained
by combination of two or more distinct material. Accordingly, material property combinations have
been and yet being extended by the development of the composite, which is a multiphase material
that exhibits a propagation of the properties of the forming phases so that a better combination of
properties is obtained for making structure. [1-6]
Generally Fiber reinforced composite materials are used increasing in many military,
aerospace and civil applications due to their excellent mechanical properties like high specific
strength, specific stiffness, resistance to corrosion, increased fatigue life among others[7-9].
However, one of main concern in the use of advanced composites is their poor translaminar
properties, which become critical under situations like impact loading. Composites that are used in

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 Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 592-594 123

aerospace and land based structural components are often subjected to high velocity impact threats
like broken engine parts, turbine blades, fragments from bombs, shells, mortars, and grenades.
There are many issues that determine the response of the composite materials to impact threats [10-
12]. The use of composite materials in aircraft structural components has grown steadily with each
generation of aircraft. From initial applications in non-structural parts and secondary structures,
composites have increasingly found use in primary aircraft structures, particularly in light aircraft,
commuter planes, military fighters and helicopters [13,14]. Aramid fibres are very important
reinforcement for advanced composites, which were developed during the 1960s and first
introduced commercially by DuPont in the 1970s under the trade name Kevlar. Their high degree of
toughness, associated with the failure mechanism of aramids, and damage tolerance promotes good
impact/ballistic performance. Nowadays, carbon and glass fiber is mostly used for manufacturing of
aerospace structure and many other fields. But their properties are not identified well, for example,
when the aero plane crashed unexpectedly in the sky and in airport during landing. In this situation
aerospace structure will be collapsed without any surety to safety measures [15,16].
This paper work base focuses on these kinds of situation and we are chosen Kevlar fiber
instead of glass and carbon fiber for aerospace structure. Kevlar is also one of the artificial fiber
which is five times stronger than steel and also it has the great stiffness and weight ratio comparing
to the carbon and glass fiber. Kevlar has the variety of types. In which kevlar49 is selected, because
this is very suitable for aerospace application. And then kevlar49 is fabricated, as reinforcement
mixed with epoxy matrix and hardner and produce polymer Kevlar based composite material and
finally it is treated with mechanical properties such as tensile flexural and elongation etc. and also
numerical test.

II. Experimental details

A. Materials
The Kevlar49 plain weave fabric of 320 gm is cut with the special scissors that is capable of cutting
Kevlar fiber accurately. Fig. 1&2 shows the fiber and resin used. The required specimen dimension
is 250×250×3 mm and the fabric is cut accordingly in order to get the 3mm thickness lamina are
stacked , were prepared by Vacuum Bag method. And also graphite filler is added to increase the
strength behavior. SR 1500 epoxy resin and a SD 2503 hardener were used.
B. Fabrication of composites
Epoxy and hardener are taken according to the specification. After mixing hardener with
epoxy, it has to be used up, that is, it has to be applied on the fabric within 35 to 45 minutes, and
otherwise the resin would become a gel like substance and loose its binding quality.

Fig. 1 Kevlar-49 fiber Fig. 2 Epoxy resin

Composite laminates were formed by placing successive layers of the fibre and resin
mixture. During hand lay-up, each ply is impregnated with an epoxy resin. The purpose of this step
124 Dynamics of Machines and Mechanisms, Industrial Research

is to make sure that the resin flows entirely around all fibres. The laminate was then covered with
sealant on all four sides and then the upper surface was covered with perforated sheet. This sheet
has minute pores in it to take out the extra resin and also the air bubbles entrapped between the
layers. The image of the sealant alongside the laminate and the perforated sheet above the laminate
surface is shown in the fig. 3.

Fig.3 Sealant and perforated sheet

Vacuum bag molding is the refinement of hand lay-up method, which uses vacuum to
eliminate the entrapped air and excess resin. This provides higher reinforcement concentration,
better adhesion between layers and more control over resin/glass ratios. In our fabrication, the
vacuum of about 550 Hg/mm2 was applied through vacuum valve at one corner of the system which
helps in air evacuation. The system was allowed for ambient cure for about 20 hours along with the
vacuum pressure. The bagged part was then placed in hot air oven at 1200 C for two hours and later
allowed to cool at room temperature. The configuration of the hot air oven regarding size of the
oven, number of heaters employed, range of temperature which can be employed, etc.,
C. Testing standard
After fabrication, the test specimens were subjected to various mechanical tests as per
ASTM standards. The standards followed are ASTM D3039 for tensile test with the test speed of 2
mm/min. The flexural strength was determined as per ASTM D790 procedure. The test speed was
maintained as 2 mm /min. Both the tensile and flexural tests were carried out using Universal
Testing Machine. The impact strength of the composite specimens was determined using an Izod
impact Tester as per ASTM D256. In each case, five specimens were tested to obtain the average
value.
D. Scanning electron microscopy study
Interfacial properties, such as fiber-matrix interaction, fracture behavior and fiber pull-out of
samples after mechanical tests was observed using scanning electron microscope. The fractured
portions of the samples were cut and gold coated over the surface uniformly for examination. The
acceleration voltage used in this work is 10 kv.

III. Results and Discussion

A. Mechanical properties
The universal test instrument was used to measure tensile strength. Flexural strength can be
calculated the maximum load exposed on middle of the sample. Brinell method was used to
determine Hardness, and Tensile strength can be obtained from the following formula:
σ=P/A (1)
Where: σ = tensile strength in Mpa, P = test load in N., A = cross section area of sample in m2.
 Applied Mechanics and Materials Vols. 592-594 125

And flexural strength can be obtained from the following formula:

σ = 3PS / 2bt2 (2)
Where: P= maximum load in N, S = dimension between loaded points in mm, b = sample width in
mm, t =sample thickness in mm.
B. Testing Results

Table 1&2 gives the stress intensity factor and tensile test values for the composites
respectively. Fig. 4 shows the stress strain curve for the composite.

Stress Intensity Factor Calculation

.
.
= 0.265 1 − ⁄ + ⁄ ⁄ √ 3

a = edge crack length in mm

w = width of the plate in mm

σ = applied stress in N/mm2

Table.1 Stress Intensity Factor

(0.857+0.265
W A A/w 1-A/w (1-A/w)4 (a/w))/ σ П*A K1
((1-A/w)1.5
12.9 6 0.4651 0.5348 0.0818 3.2028 259.2 18.84 4886.5

13.8 3 0.2173 0.7826 0.3751 0.95405 350 9.42 3297

12.8 7 0.5468 0.4531 0.0421 5.3845 333.09 21.98 7326.7

12.9 2.8 0.2170 0.7829 0.3757 0.9527 371.62 8.79 3268.4

Table 2 Tensile test results

Fig. 4 Stress vs Strain

C. Numerical Analysis

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is a computer-based numerical technique for calculating the
strength and behavior of engineering structures. It can be used to calculate deflection, stress,
vibration, buckling behavior and many other phenomena. It can be used to analyze either small or
large-scale deflection under loading or applied displacement. It can analyze elastic deformation, or
"permanently bent out of shape" i.e., plastic deformation. Computer is required because of the
126 Dynamics of Machines and Mechanisms, Industrial Research

astronomical number of calculations needed to analyze a large structure. The power and low cost of
modern computers has made Finite Element Analysis available to many disciplines and companies.

Figure-5 CATIA model and analysed model of the tensile specimen

IV. Conclusion

The fabrication of Kevlar-49 is successfully made by hand layup and vacuum bag method with the
dimension of 250x250, 3mm thickness. And tensile, specific gravity, flexural of a Kevlar/epoxy
composite with filled matrix was studied. Graphite powder, especially modified, and were used in
order to improve the impact resistance and tensile strength of these laminates and mechanical
behavior and also testing results were obtained in the form of graph to know the material strength.
The fillers adding increases the maximum tensile load, which is very dependent of the filler type for
high impact energy. The increasing the residual strength and the better results were obtained when
graphite filler were added instead of nanoclays filler.

V. References

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[2] P.N.B. Reis, J.A.M. Ferreira, P. Santos, M.O.W. Richardson, J.B. Santos, Impact response of
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[3] M. Fellah, A. Tounsi, K.H. Amara, E.A. Adda Bedia, Effect of transverse cracks on the
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[6] P.N.B. Reis, J.A.M. Ferreira, Z.Y. Zhang, T. Benameur, M.O.W. Richardson. Impact response
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[8] Sunan Saikrasun, Taweechai Amornsakchai, Chakrit Sirisinha, Wiriya Meesiri, Sauvarop
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 Dynamics of Machines and Mechanisms, Industrial Research
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Design, Fabrication and Analysis of Advanced Polymer Based Kevlar-49 Composite Material
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