Nanoscale crack initiation and propagation in carbon fiber/epoxy composites using synchrotron: 3D image data
Toshiki Watanabe,
Yasuo Takeichi,
Yasuhiro Niwa,
Masaki Hojo,
Masao Kimura
Affiliations
Toshiki Watanabe
Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801, Japan
Yasuo Takeichi
Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801, Japan; Department of Materials Structure Science, School of High Energy Accelerator Science, SOKENDAI (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801, Japan
Yasuhiro Niwa
Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801, Japan
Masaki Hojo
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Science, Kyoto University, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8540, Japan
Masao Kimura
Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801, Japan; Department of Materials Structure Science, School of High Energy Accelerator Science, SOKENDAI (Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801, Japan; Corresponding author at: Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801, Japan.
Crack initiation and propagation in carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) was observed in situ under the application of an opening load using nanoscopic synchrotron radiation X-ray computed tomography (nanoscopic SR X-CT) at a high spatial resolution of ∼50 nm. Two datasets of reconstructed and segmented images were produced in typical regions, namely in the thin and thick epoxy regions where the resin thickness between the adjacent carbon fibers was small and large, respectively. This novel study presents the first non-destructive three-dimensional (3D) visualization of resin deformation behavior around crack tips, and provides a valuable and unique insight for the future design of CFRPs.
