Super-hybrid composites - An emerging structural material

Abstract

Specimens of super-hybrids and advanced fiber composites were subjected to extensive tests to determine their mechanical properties, including impact and thermal fatigue. The super-hybrids were fabricated by a procedure similar to that reported by Chamis et al., (1975). Super-hybrids subjected to 1000 cycles of thermal fatigue from -100 to 300 F retained over 90% of their longitudinal flexural strength and over 75% of their transverse flexural strength; their transverse flexural strength may be as high as 8 times that of a commercially supplied boron/1100-Al composite. The thin specimen Izod longitudinal impact resistance of the super-hybrids was twice that of the boron/110-Al material. Super-hybrids subjected to transverse tensile loads exhibited nonlinear stress-strain relationships. The experimentally determined initial membrane (in-plane) and bending elastic properties of super-hybrids were predicted adequately by linear laminate analysis.