Influence of technological layer materials on interlayer adhesion of consolidated laminates
摘要
Polyetherimide (PEI) and polyethersulfone (PES) films are used as technological layers for the fabrication of laminates from PEI-based prepregs reinforced with carbon fiber (CF) fabric and veil by ultrasonic (US) consolidation. It is known that the use of these dissimilar polymers enables the formation of the samples with high interlaminar shear strengths. Despite the difference in their elastic moduli and glass transition temperatures, similar melting points (266 °C for PEI and 262 °C for PES) ensure the formation of uniform structures at the interfaces with negligible discontinuities when using the prepregs reinforced with the CF fabric. In the laminates with the CF veil and the PES technological layer, some discontinuities at the interfaces are caused by the differences in the physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of the joined components. PES has a lower elastic modulus than PEI, so its frictional heat generation is decreased. On the other hand, PEI is the first to melt during US–consolidation due to its lower glass transition temperature (194 °C versus 227 °C for PES). At the same time, the irregular reinforcement of the laminates with the CF veil does not prevent the polymers from their intensive mixing, contributing to the formation of pores and reducing their mechanical properties.