5 Werkstofftechnik
Filtern
Dokumenttyp
- Vortrag (52)
- Zeitschriftenartikel (39)
- Posterpräsentation (15)
- Beitrag zu einem Tagungsband (14)
- Dissertation (4)
- Beitrag zu einem Sammelband (2)
- Forschungsdatensatz (2)
- Sonstiges (1)
Sprache
- Englisch (97)
- Deutsch (31)
- Mehrsprachig (1)
Schlagworte
- Fatigue (15)
- Glass fiber reinforced polymers (9)
- Composite (6)
- Environmental stress cracking (6)
- Full Notch Creep Test (6)
- Sandwich (6)
- Wind turbine blades (6)
- Diesel (5)
- High-density polyethylene (5)
- Mikroplastik (5)
Organisationseinheit der BAM
- 5.3 Polymere Verbundwerkstoffe (129) (entfernen)
Paper des Monats
- ja (1)
Eingeladener Vortrag
- nein (52)
Das langsame Risswachstum (slow crack growth, SCG) sowie der umgebungsbedingte Spannungsriss (environmental stress cracking, ESC) sind relevante Schädigungsmechanismen für teilkristalline Werkstoffe auf Basis von Polyethylen hoher Dichte (PE-HD).
Der Vortrag gibt einerseits einen Überblick über die grundlegenden Struktur-Eigenschafts-Beziehungen in diesem Kontext, andererseits werden auch verschiedene praxisorientierte Prüfverfahren vorgestellt. Letztere wurden in gemeinsamen Forschungsprojekten von BAM und LBF mit dem Schwerpunkt Gefahrgutbehälter bzw. Pflanzenschutzmittel vergleichend untersucht und durch weitergehende Analytik ergänzt.
In den Umweltmedien Wasser, Boden und Luft wird Mikroplastik (MP) gefunden. Mögliche Eintragspfade, besonders Einträge über den Klarlauf kommunaler Klärwerke, sind unklar. Dazu wurde das Klärwerk Ruhleben in Berlin an jeweils vier Tagen im Sommer- und Winterbetrieb beprobt. Es wurde jeweils 1 m3 Klarlauf fraktioniert filtriert (500, 100 und 50 µm Siebe). Weiterhin wurde Rohabwasser exemplarisch untersucht. Als Analyse-methoden wurden die TED-GC-MS und die FTIR Mikroskopie verwendet.
Bei der TED-GC-MS wird die Probe zunächst thermisch extrahiert, bevor die charakteristischen Zersetzungsgase mittels einer GC-Säule getrennt und im MS detektiert werden [1,2]. Es ist hier erstmals gelungen, nicht nur das MP zu identi-fizieren, sondern auch eine Massenbilanz zu erstellen und so eine quantitative Auswertung vorzunehmen. Es wurde PE, PS ganzjährig und PP im Sommer gefunden. Das Klärwerk Ruhleben hat einen Rückhalt an MP von 99%.
The interest in repair technologies for polymer composites has increased significantly over the last decades, due to the growing use of these materials in structural applications. In this study, poly (ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) (EMAA) was used as self-healing agent to glass fiber/epoxy composite. Materials with EMAA contents of 2 wt% and 5 wt% were manufactured using Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) and the effects of the healing agent on the properties were investigated using tensile tests and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). Results show slight variation of properties, which was more pronounced as the content of EMAA increased. In addition, the healing efficiency was investigated through fatigue tests and the addition of higher content of EMAA increased the number of cycles to failure after the healing activation cycle.
Slow crack growth (SCG) under the influence of external fluid media, usually termed environmental stress cracking (ESC), is still one of the most frequent origins of severe damage and failure of polymeric materials. For polyethylene (PE) this is relevant for mass products, like bottles for consumer products, but also for high-performance materials for pipes or industrial packaging, including containers for chemicals and other dangerous goods. Especially for high-density polyethylene (PE-HD) the susceptibility to SGC and ESC is depending on the complex interplay between molecular weight and architecture and the resulting semicrystalline morphology, especially the formation of tie-molecules.
A reliable assessment of the resistance against this damage phenomenon is essential for demanding as well as safety-critical applications and has to take into account suitable testing methodologies and conditions in combination with environmental media reflecting the properties representative for typical fillings and relevant components causing ESC. In this context a better understanding of different influencing factors, such as sorption, swelling or surface activity is necessary together with a detailed characterization of different stages of crack propagation and underlying mechanisms. Therefor well-established testing methods, such as the Full Notch Creep Test (FNCT), were complemented by detailed fracture surface analysis using e.g. LSM and SEM in combination with a time-dependent optical monitoring of the progressing crack growth.
For the crack growth also the ratio of fibrillated craze zone to crack opening is important for the deeper understanding of crack propagation and related material parameters which can be additionally addressed by X-ray computed tomography.
Thermoset materials characterization is often limited to solid state analytical techniques such as IR, NMR, DSC, TGA and mechanical testing. Alternatively, their off-gassing behavior can also be evaluated using GC based techniques such as TD-GC-MS, allowing this method to be applied to thermoset materials analyses such as identification, aging characterization, and formulation optimization. As an overview, common thermoset materials were evaluated by analyzing their gaseous degradation products via TGA-based pyrolysis and subsequent TD-GC-MS for the identification of representative volatile signatures. It is thereby possible to distinguish different classes of phenolic materials or cured epoxy resins, as well as their amine or anhydride curatives. Additionally, this method enabled quantification of a volatile fragment (bisphenol A, BPA) which is associated with oxidation of epoxy/amine thermoset materials. The amount of evolved BPA increased linearly with aging time and this trend exhibits linear Arrhenius behavior over the temperature range (80–125 °C) studied, in agreement with oxidation sensitivies based on oxygen consumption data. Further, TD-GC-MS was used to explore how off-gassing of residual anhydride curative from an epoxy/anhydride material depends on formulation stoichiometry. Even in formulations that theoretically contained enough epoxy to consume all anhydride (1:1 stoichiometry), an imperfect final cure state resulted in residual anhydride which could evolve from the material. For such materials, a slightly epoxy-rich formulation is required to ensure that the material contains no residual unreacted anhydride. Analysis of volatiles generated by thermal exposure is an attractive characterization approach enabling compositional analysis as well as complementary diagnostics for materials degradation.
Self-healing agents have the potential to restore mechanical properties and extend service life of composite materials. Thermoplastic healing agents have been extensively investigated for this purpose in epoxy matrix composites due to their strong adhesion to epoxy and their ability to fill in microcracks. One of the most
investigated thermoplastic additives for this purpose is poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) (EMAA). Despite the ability of thermoplastic healing agents to restore mechanical properties, it is important to assess how the addition of thermoplastic healing agents affect properties of the original epoxy material. In this work, EMAA was added to epoxy resin and the effect of the additive on fracture toughness of epoxy was evaluated. Results indicate that although added in low concentrations, EMAA can affect fracture toughness.
We invented the first non-metallic, self-adhesive and dry biosignalling electrode. The PEDOT polymer electrode changes its aggregate state and conductivity by a light curing procedure. The electrode can be applied as a gel underneath hair without shaving. With the aid of blue light, the electrode can be hardened within a few seconds at the desired location on the scalp. The cured polymer electrode is highly conductive and can be applied on a very small location. Unlike other EEG electrodes, our electrode does not lose conductivity upon drying. Furthermore, our electrode strongly bonds to Skin and does not require any additional adhesive. Short circuits due to an outflow of gel are prevented with this technique. Therefore, the PEDOT polymer electrode is extremely well suited for applications that, up to now, have been challenging, such as non-invasive EEG recordings from awake and freely moving animals, EEG recordings from preterm babies in the neonatal intensive care unit or long-term recordings in the case of sleep monitoring or epilepsy diagnostics. We addressed two technical questions in this work. First, is the EEG recorded with polymer electrodes comparable to a standard EEG? Second, is it possible to record full-band EEGs with our electrodes?
The aim of this research is to study the influence of moisture absorption at low moisture contents on the creep behaviour of an epoxy adhesive in steel bonded joints. Single lap joints were manufactured using high strength steel adherends and a two-component epoxy adhesive. The single lap joints were tested at load Levels corresponding to average lap shear stresses of±5%, 15%, 30% and 45% of the dry lap shear strength in both 40 °C air and 40 °C distilled water. Specimens were not pre-aged to be able to analyse the coupled effect of moisture and loading. The test results show that an increase in the load level resulted in an increase in the instantaneous strain and in the creep strain rate. The creep strain of single lap joints loaded in water was generally larger than for the ones loaded in air. For joints loaded in water the creep behaviour was found to be dependent on the moisture concentration in the adhesive. At low moisture percentages creep was suppressed, resulting in a lower instantaneous strain. At higher moisture percentages creep was promoted, resulting in a larger strain rate. The suppression of creep at low moisture percentages is attributed to water molecules bonding to the epoxy macromolecules, resulting in a reduction in molecular mobility and a smaller creep strain. At higher moisture percentages the plasticizing effect of the water dominates, resulting in a larger creep strain. The Maxwell threeelement solid model and Kelvin-Voigt three-element solid model were used to simulate the creep behaviour of the single lap joints loaded in air and water. The models gave good representations of the creep Response across the different load levels in both water and air, they were however unable to give a correct representation of the instantaneous strain of the single lap joints loaded in water. This is attributed to the models being unable to account for the present short-term relaxation process that is dependent on the moisture concentration.
Motivation:
> Zunehmender Einsatz von Pulveraktivkohle (PAK) zur
Spurenstoffelimination in kommunalen Kläranlagen
> Bisher keine analytische Methode zur Quantifizierung von PAK in
Belebungsbecken, bzw. in Gegenwart von Belebtschlamm
> Anwendung der Thermogravimetrischen Analyse (TGA) zur
Feststoffcharakterisierung auf Umweltfragestellungen
Ergebnisse:
> Quantifizierung von PAK in Belebtschlamm ist möglich und kann
über unterschiedliche zweistufige TGA-Methoden erfolgen
> Zersetzungsgasanalyse zeigt veränderte und verzögerte
Freisetzung aliphatischer Produkte des Belebtschlamms
Advanced wastewater treatment with powdered activated carbon (PAC) leads to a spread of PAC into different purification stages of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) due to recirculation and filter back-wash. Currently, no methods for quantification of PAC in activated sludge are available. In this study, PAC containing activated sludge from four WWTP were examined by two-step thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) with heating up to 600°C in N2 and subsequently in synthetic air. Direct quantification of PAC according to temperature specific weight losses was possible for one WWTP. Quantification by combining specific mass losses was found to be an alternative direct method, with a detection limit of 1.2% PAC in dry sample mass.
Additionally, evolved gas analysis (EGA) by infrared-spectroscopy (FTIR) during TGA revealed interaction mechanisms between PAC and activated sludge. Aliphatic compounds from activated sludge were identified as major substances influenced by PAC. In derivative thermogravimetry (DTG), a typical double peak at approximately 300°C was found to be related to carbonylic species with increased evolution of acetic acid in aged activated sludge. TGA and EGA are promising tools to understand, control and optimise the application of PAC in advanced wastewater treatment.
Glass-fibre-reinforced plastics (GFRP) are commonly used for the construction of pressure vessels and tanks for example in automotive and aerospace industries. Especially for pressure vessels used for the storage of natural gas or hydrogen with operation pressures up to 700 bar, an early material fatigue detection is of great interest. Measuring the distributed strain profile of GFRP structures helps to understand and detect material fatigue. In this article, we demonstrate the great potential of swept wavelength interferometry (SWI) based distributed strain sensing for the monitoring of pressure vessels made from GFRP. A resin transfer molding (RTM) process was used to manufacture GFRP-tube specimens. Commercial optical fibres with polyimid coating were glued to the surface externally in circumferential and axial direction. A cyclic load of up to 150 bar was applied to the samples using a servo-hydraulic test bench. Comparing the loaded and unloaded test conditions, we determined up to 2 % elongation in circumferential direction. We demonstrate reliable distributed strain measurements with sub-centimetre spatial resolution. By monitoring these high-resolution strain profiles, we were able to detect local material degradation that manifested itself as localized strain changes. Crucially, the material Degradation could be detected already after 75 % of dat the fatigue life before a crack appeared that led to leakage.
The first documentation of fuel biodeterioration dates back to the late 19th century. However, extensive studies concerning the microbial fuel contamination started in 1980’s. Polymeric fuel storage tanks containing diesel and biodiesel provide environmental conditions for microbial growth. Several studies demonstrated that bacteria, which were found in contaminated fuel systems, can use fuels as macronutrient; but such bacteria can also cause microbiologically influenced corrosion and fouling.
The aim of this study is to investigate the initial attachment behavior of bacteria, isolated from a diesel contamination, on neat and photooxidized high-density polyethylene (PE-HD). Two common PE-HD’s, less- and biodiesel-stabilized, were radiated to UV light representing a tank exposed to sunlight. The effect of photooxidiation on PE-HD’s surface were characterized chemically by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The attached bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis on the polymer surface were evaluated by fluorescence microscopy and colony-forming unit tests (CFU).
PE-HD as a polymeric fuel storage tank material: Photooxidation, fuel sorption and long-term storage
(2018)
High-density polyethylene (PE-HD) is a commodity thermoplastic polymer which is typically used for packing of dangerous goods. Its good resistance against photooxidation, fuels, chemicals and other environmental factors in addition to low production costs makes PE-HD attractive for fuel storage applications. Typical engine fuels stored in polymer tanks are petrol, diesel and biodiesel that receives increasing attention as proper alternative to fossil fuels. One of the major problems with biodiesel is its susceptibility to oxidize due to its chemical composition of unsaturated fatty acids which also can cause polymer degradation.
The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of different environmental factors, UV radiation and commonly stored fuels, on the mechanical, physical and chemical properties of two types of PE-HD polymers (stabilized and non-stabilized). The influence on the mechanical properties was tested by Charpy and tensile tests, chemical and physical properties were evaluated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and by dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) tests. Samples were characterized after varying exposure time of UV radiation and after fully and partially immersion in biodiesel. In addition, similar experiments were conducted using diesel for comparison.
The physical and chemical effects of diesel and biodiesel fuels on two high-density polyethylene (PE-HD) types were investigated. Both semi-crystalline PE-HD are common thermoplastic materials for container and storage tank applications. Biodiesel, a composition of unsaturated fatty acid esters from renewable resources, was chosen as it is regarded a possible green alternative to fossil fuels. The study aims at identifying significant differences between biodiesel and conventional diesel fuels based on the differences in the chemical nature of the two. The physical effects of the fuels on the polymer at first comprises the sorption behavior, i.e. kinetics and final equilibrium concentration. Not only are both fuels absorbed by the amorphous phase of the semi-crystalline PE-HD, they also induce a plasticization effect that modifies the molecular mobility and therefore also the characteristic yielding properties, manifest in the obtained stress-strain curves. The chemical effects related to degradation phenomena is investigated by a long-term storage scenario using partially immersed tensile test specimens in diesel and biodiesel. We were able to confirm the proposed co-oxidation mechanism by Richaud et al. for polyethylene-unsaturated penetrant systems on a larger scale based on practical tensile tests. One of the investigated polyethylene grades subjected to tensile drawing showed a significant loss of plastic deformation and the onset of premature failure after 150 days of storage in biodiesel. Further biodiesel storage showed a systematically reduced elongation at break before necking. None of these effects were observed in diesel. Oxidation of fuels and polymer after progressing storage times were analyzed by the evolution of carbonyl species in FT-IR/ATR spectroscopy.
In the present study, a simple approach was used to investigate the effect of UV-exposure on two high density Polyethylene materials (PE-HD), commonly used for storage tanks, on fuel sorption behavior and colonization by microorganisms. The aim was to investigate whether the sorption behavior of the fuels (diesel/biodiesel) and the colonization by microorganisms, frequently occurring in the fuel, is affected and may lead to undesirable or safety-relevant material changes. We showed that the UV-irradiation leads to significant changes of the sorption behavior due to chemi-crystallization and crosslinking. The fuel Sorption is affected by the UV-induced formation of polar carbonyl and hydroxyl groups predominantly occurring at the surface. With respect to microbial colonization behavior for Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, isolated from a contaminated diesel sample, differences of the initial adhesion could be shown depending on the initial type of polyethylene as well as on the degree of UV-induced degradation.
High-density polyethylene becomes optically transparent during tensile drawing when previously saturated with diesel fuel. This unusual phenomenon is investigated as it might allow conclusions with respect to the material behavior. Microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, density measurements are applied together with two scanning X-ray scattering techniques: wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and X-ray refraction, able to extract the spatially resolved crystal orientation and internal surface, respectively. The sorbed diesel softens the material and significantly alters the yielding characteristics. Although the crystallinity among stretched regions is similar, a virgin reference sample exhibits strain whitening during stretching, while the diesel-saturated sample becomes transparent. The WAXS results reveal a pronounced fiber texture in the tensile direction in the stretched region and an isotropic orientation in the unstretched region. This texture implies the formation of fibrils in the stretched region, while spherulites remain intact in the unstretched parts of the specimens. X-ray refraction reveals a preferred orientation of internal surfaces along the tensile direction in the stretched region of virgin samples, while the sample stretched in the diesel-saturated state shows no internal surfaces at all. Besides from stretching saturated samples, optical transparency is also obtained from sorbing samples in diesel after stretching.
The impact fracture behavior of two common high-density polyethylene grades for container applications were intensively studied by the instrumented Charpy impact test after well-defined exposure to UV-irradiation. Individual stages of the impact event, such as crack initiation and crack propagation energy as well as maximum impact load, were investigated from the recorded load–deflection curves. UV-induced material property changes were further investigated by infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic-mechanical analysis as well as density measurements. Based on the results of the Charpy impact test, three indicators were identified to describe the extend of photooxidation on high-density polyethylene: (a) a reduced Charpy impact strength—at least to half of its initial value for a distinctly brittle impact fracture, (b) a marked decrease in the crack propagation contribution to the impact strength, and (c) an increase of the brittle features of the fracture surface.
Um den sicheren Betrieb von Windkraftanlagen zu gewährleisten, werden Rotorblätter nach der Fertigung und nach Reparatur mit verschiedenen zerstörungsfreien Verfahren auf Schaden untersucht. Bei der Fertigung von Blattschalen, die in einer Sandwich-Schalenbauweise gefertigt werden, entstehen Imperfektionen, die unter Belastung zu großen Rissen führen können. Zur Prüfung von Blattschalen wird unter anderem Ultraschallprüfung in Kontakttechnik eingesetzt. Um den Wartungsaufwand von Ultraschallanlagen zu reduzieren und um manche Kompositstrukturen vor Koppelmittel zu schützen, wird die Anwendung von Luftultraschall erforscht. Insbesondere große Fortschritte gibt es im Bereich der Entwicklung neuer Wandler.
In diesem Beitrag berichten wir über die Luftultraschallprüfung von Schalen für Rotorblätter. Es wurden typische Sandwichschalenstrukturen hergestellt und mit einem eigenentwickelten Schalenprüfstand unter simulierter Betriebsbeanspruchung belastet. Die in den Schalenprüfkörpern entstandenen Schäden wurden außerhalb des Prüfstandes mit Luftultraschall in Durchschallung untersucht. Es wurden fokussierende Wandler auf Basis von Ferroelektreten entwickelt und für diese Prüfungen eingesetzt. Mit zusätzlicher elektrischer Vorspannung konnte die Empfindlichkeit der Empfänger deutlich erhöht werden. Die nach dem Lastwechsel entstandenen Schäden in den Rotorblattschalen waren eindeutig zu detektieren.
Common air-coupled transducers for non-destructive testing consist of a piezocomposite material and several matching layers. Better acoustical matching to air is achieved by transducers based on charged cellular polypropylene (PP). This material has about hundred times lower acoustic impedance than any piezocomposite, having about the same piezoelectric coefficient. The piezoelectric properties of cellular PP are caused by the polarization of air cells. Alternatively, a ferroelectret receiver can be understood as a capacitive microphone with internal polarization creating permanent internal voltage. The sensitivity of the receiver can be increased by applying additional bias voltage. We present an ultrasonic receiver based on cellular PP including a high-voltage module providing bias voltage up to 2 kV. The application of bias voltage increased the signal by 12 to 15 dB with only 1 dB increase of the noise.
This receiver was combined with a cellular PP transmitter in through transmission to inspect several test specimens consisting of glass-fiber-reinforced polymer face sheets and a porous closed-cell PVC core. These test specimens were inspected before and after load. Fatigue cracks in the porous PVC core and some fatigue damage in the face sheets were detected. These test specimens were originally developed to emulate a rotor blade segment of a wind power plant. Similar composite materials are used in lightweight aircrafts for the general aviation. The other inspected test specimen was a composite consisted of glass-fiber-reinforced polymer face sheets and a wooden core. The structure of the wooden core could be detected only with cellular PP transducers, while commercial air-coupled transducers lacked the necessary sensitivity. Measured on a 4-mm thick carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer plate, cellular PP transducers with additional bias voltage achieved a 32 dB higher signal-to-noise ratio than commercial air-coupled transducers.
Um den sicheren Betrieb von Windkraftanlagen zu gewährleisten, werden Rotorblätter nach der Fertigung und nach Reparatur mit verschiedenen zerstörungsfreien Verfahren auf Schaden untersucht. Bei der Fertigung von Blattschalen, die in einer Sandwich-Schalenbauweise gefertigt werden, entstehen Imperfektionen, die unter Belastung zu großen Rissen führen können. Zur Prüfung von Blattschalen wird unter anderem Ultraschallprüfung in Kontakttechnik eingesetzt. Um den Wartungsaufwand von Ultraschallanlagen zu reduzieren und um manche Kompositstrukturen vor Koppelmittel zu schützen, wird die Anwendung von Luftultraschall erforscht. Insbesondere große Fortschritte gibt es im Bereich der Entwicklung neuer Wandler.
In diesem Beitrag berichten wir über die Luftultraschallprüfung von Schalen für Rotorblätter. Es wurden typische Sandwichschalenstrukturen hergestellt und mit einem eigenentwickelten Schalenprüfstand unter simulierter Betriebsbeanspruchung belastet. Die in den Schalenprüfkörpern entstandenen Schäden wurden außerhalb des Prüfstandes mit Luftultraschall in Durchschallung untersucht. Es wurden fokussierende Wandler auf Basis von Ferroelektreten entwickelt und für diese Prüfungen eingesetzt. Mit zusätzlicher elektrischer Vorspannung konnte die Empfindlichkeit der Empfänger deutlich erhöht werden. Die nach dem Lastwechsel entstandenen Schäden in den Rotorblattschalen waren eindeutig zu detektieren.
Common air-coupled transducers for non-destructive testing consist of a piezocomposite material and several matching layers. Better acoustical matching to air is achieved by transducers based on charged cellular polypropylene (PP). This material has about hundred times lower acoustic impedance than any piezocomposite, having about the same piezoelectric coefficient. The piezoelectric properties of cellular PP are caused by the polarization of air cells. Alternatively, a ferroelectret receiver can be understood as a capacitive microphone with internal polarization creating permanent internal voltage. The sensitivity of the receiver can be increased by applying additional bias voltage. We present an ultrasonic receiver based on cellular PP including a high-voltage module providing bias voltage up to 2 kV. The application of bias voltage increased the signal by 12 to 15 dB with only 1 dB increase of the noise.
This receiver was combined with a cellular PP transmitter in through transmission to inspect several test specimens consisting of glass-fiber-reinforced polymer face sheets and a porous closed-cell PVC core. These test specimens were inspected before and after load. Fatigue cracks in the porous PVC core and some fatigue damage in the face sheets were detected. These test specimens were originally developed to emulate a rotor blade segment of a wind power plant. Similar composite materials are used in lightweight aircrafts for the general aviation. The other inspected test specimen was a composite consisted of glass-fiber-reinforced polymer face sheets and a wooden core. The structure of the wooden core could be detected only with cellular PP transducers, while commercial air-coupled transducers lacked the necessary sensitivity. Measured on a 4-mm thick carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer plate, cellular PP transducers with additional bias voltage achieved a 32 dB higher signal-to-noise ratio than commercial air-coupled transducers.
The research presented here attempts to assess the potential for re-using carbon fibre (CF) fabrics recovered from recycling infusible acrylic thermoplastic carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites (CFRPs) in a universal manner, i.e. by combining with a wide variety of matrices to manufacture 2nd generation composite laminates by resin infusion. The 2nd generation composites have been compared in terms of bulk and interfacial properties against counteparts processed with virgin carbon fibre fabric infused with the same matrices. Generally, an increase in damping (tanδ) was observed in all 2nd generation composites, which can be attributed to a residual thin thermoplastic layer present on the recovered fibres. The interfacial adhesion of the 2nd generation Composites was investigated by shear tests and scanning electron micsoscopy, and also appears to be less influenced by the type of matrix.
In this work, a closed loop recycling process is investigated, which allows polymerised bulk thermoplastic matrix (Elium 150) from production waste (also referred to as recyclate) to be reused as additive in composite manufacturing by vacuum assisted resin infusion (VARI) of virgin Elium 150 monomer. It is shown that this process can save up to 7.5 wt% of virgin material usage in each processing cycle. At the same time, the thermal stability and stiffness of the composite increases with the proportion of recyclate introduced. Contemporarily, the shear and bending properties have also been observed to improve. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) showed that the changes observed are due to an increase in molecular weight with the recyclate content. In particular, a correlation between the molecular weight and the shear properties of the composite was discovered using single fibre push-out tests.
Wind turbine rotor blades commonly fail before their projected 20-year lifespan largely due to defects that originate during manufacturing and are propagated by operational fatigue and environmental conditions. The cost-intensive replacement outcomes lead to a high loss of earnings, and are one of the inhibitors of wind turbine production. A potential repair alternative to restoring the mechanical properties of such lightweight fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) structures is to locally patch these areas with scarf joints. This type of repair allows for a smoother load distribution across the joint, and is favored especially on structures where minor aerodynamic contour changes are key. The effects of such repairs on the structural integrity, however, is still largely unknown. Building upon an understanding of the static load failure mechanism of GFRP scarf joints, presented at the ICCS23 Joint Event in 2020, the influence of the fiber orientation mismatch between parent and repair materials of 1:50 scarf joints on the failure mechanism of monolithic glass FRP specimens under cyclic fatigue load were examined in this study. Specimens with various layups were produced with the vacuum-assisted resin infusion (VARI) process using biaxial E-glass non-crimp fabric (NCF). The patch layers were then joined directly to the parent structure with the VARI using biaxial E-glass NCF with half the areal weight of the parent side to allow for better drapability. This mimics the soft-to-hard patch style utilized in wind turbine blade shell field repairs. The specimens were tested under uniaxial fatigue load, during which they were periodically monitored for damage onset. A comparison of the +45/-45° and 0/90° layups allowed for an understanding of the role of a highly mismatching fiber orientation in the transition zone between parent and patch material on the failure mechanism of the scarf joint. In addition to the tensile strength and stiffness property recovery assessment, a grayscale analysis using in-situ camera images determined the damage state leading to failure in each region across the scarf joint, which varied in the parent material versus scarf joint region, providing insight to the critical regions in this composite structure under cyclic loading.
As a type of high-performance composite material, glass-fiber reinforced plastics (GFRP) are favored for the construction of wind turbine rotor blades due to their high specific strength and stiffness properties (Grasse et al, 2010). During the blade manufacturing process, however, imperfections are often introduced, then further propagated due to harsh environmental conditions and a variety of loads (Caminero et al, 2013; Trappe et al, 2018). This leads to failure significantly before their designed lifespan. Since replacement of entire blades can be a costly potential outcome, localized repairs of the damaged region to restore structural integrity and thus lengthen its lifespan can executed in the field by technicians accessing the blades directly by suspended roping. These methods involve replacing the lost load path with a new material that is joined to the parent structure. In recent years, considerable studies have been conducted to investigate the influence of different repair parameters on the stress distribution, ultimate strength, impact behavior, and residual stresses of bonded repaired structures [Caminero et al, 2013; Trappe et al, 2018; Shufeng et al, 2014; Harman and Rider, 2011; Ahn and Springer, 2000; Lekou and Vionis, 2002). However, there currently do not exist any standardized repair procedures for wind turbine rotor blades. Namely, there is a lack of understanding about the effects of the layup of various repair methods, especially on the damage mechanism and fatigue life of the shells of rotor blades (Caminero et al, 2013; Trappe et al, 2018).
This work therefore aims to begin to enrich this knowledge gap by testing the influence of different variables among repair patches on the mechanical properties of sandwich composite structures. Manufactured with the vacuum-assisted resin infusion (VARI) process, the test specimens are produced as a GFRP structure to represent the outer shell portion of a wind turbine blade, then repaired with a scarf joint. Scarf repairs are favored as the most efficient of the common structural joints, as the removal of the damaged area with angled walls leads to a nearly uniform shear stress distribution along the bond surface and no eccentricity in the load distribution (Caminero et al, 2013; Lekou and Vionis, 2002; Siener, 1992).
The performance of specific layup methods of repair patches, namely a large-to-small versus small-to-large scheme of repair layers, is studied with static and load-controlled fatigue testing, then compared to pristine test specimens as well as to each other in terms of mechanical property restoration. The transition layer between repair and parent material is especially of interest in the performance of the structure. Damage onset, crack development and eventual failure are monitored in-situ with non-destructive testing methods, including thermography with an infrared camera system and a 3D deformation analysis system, to develop a more robust understanding of the effects of these repair concept variables on wind turbine blade shell structures.
Fully-reversed fatigue behavior of scarf joint repairs for wind turbine blade shell applications
(2022)
Due to manufacturing imperfections which can propagate to damage under in-service loads, wind turbine rotor blades, made primarily of glass fiber reinforced polymers (GFRP), often fail significantly before their design life. To enable a quick and cost-effective return to service, localized repairs can be executed by technicians in the field, directly accessing the blades by suspended roping. Scarf joint repairs, shown to be highly efficient with a smooth load transition across angled joint walls and a restored aerodynamic profile, are the focus of this study. The damage mechanisms of these structures were examined under fully-reversed mechanical cyclic loading with a load ratio R = -1, which was made possible on the coupon scale by a custom designed anti-buckling support. The number of cycles to failure were compared across load levels. While the scarf joint ratio was held constant at 1:50, known from industry and literature to be a good compromise between restored mechanical properties and repair size, the layup sequence was varied between small-to-large and large-to-small. Hereby the effect of the presence of resin pockets and fiber orientation mismatch between the parent and repair structure on the failure mechanism as well as fatigue strength of ±45° GFRP scarf joint repair structures was studied. Strain development across the joint length was measured to assess stiffness degradation in addition to the fatigue strength recovery of scarf joint structures with respect to pristine reference specimens. Grayscale analysis was used to monitor the damage state leading to fracture across the specimens. Post-mortem fractography analysis with light microscopy described the global failure mechanisms as well as local damage distribution within the structure, all of which provided insight to critical variables in scarf joint GFRP structures under fully-reversed mechanical cyclic loading, allowing for the tailoring of such repairs on wind turbine blade shells for maximum restoration of service life.
Wind turbine rotor blades, made of fiber reinforced polymers (FRP), often fail before their projected 20-year lifespan, largely due to defects that originate during manufacturing and are propagated by operational fatigue and environmental conditions. The cost-intensive replacement outcomes lead to a high loss of earnings, and are one of the inhibitors of wind turbine production [1]. A potential repair alternative is to locally patch these areas of the blades with adhesively bonded structural repairs. However, the effects of such repair methods of the outer shell region on the structural integrity of the rotor blades are still largely unknown, and are thus investigated in this project.
The shell components of rotor blades are made of FRP composite material sandwiching a lightweight core, often a rigid foam or Balsa wood. The repair methods involve replacing the lost load path with a new material that is joined to the parent structure [2]. Repairs in this project focus on the scarf method, which allow for a smoother load distribution across the joint, aiming to study the damage mechanism of glass FRP scarf repairs for wind turbine blade shell applications. Namely, the source and path of the damage initiation and propagation, role of the interface between parent and patch material, and the role of the fiber orientation mismatch at this interface are examined. Biaxial ±45° and 0/90° FRP specimens are produced with the vacuum-assisted resin infusion (VARI) process using E-glass non-crimp fabric. The patch layers are then joined using VARI with a scarf ratio of 1:50, using glass FRP fabric with half the areal weight of the parent side to allow for better drapability. The methods and practices in specimen production are based on common industry practice in rotor blade shell manufacturing and repairs.
The specimens are tested under uniaxial tensile load, during which they are periodically monitored for damage onset. A comparison of the ±45° and 0/90° specimens allows for an understanding of the role of a highly mismatching fiber orientation in the transition zone between parent and patch material on the failure mechanism of the scarf joint. Although failure in both orientations begins as delamination at the joint edge, the difference in the mechanisms at play in the two different specimen types leads ultimately to different fracture paths. Namely, in the inter fiber failure mechanism of the ±45° specimens, the higher interlaminar strength compared to the intralaminar strength of the laminate leads to intralaminar failure of the ±45° scarf joint specimens. Alternatively, the competition in the 0/90° specimens lies between the interlaminar strength and fiber failure strength, and here we experience failure primarily across the scarf joint length. The scarf joint in the 0/90° specimens disrupts the continuity of the load-carrying 0° layers, directing the failure path to remain primarily along the scarf joint. Experimental results are compared to finite element analyses of scarf patch repairs on glass FRP sandwich specimens with the same respective layup orientations, where the damage initiation regions are identified and correlated to fiber orientation, serving as a bridge to future work which will experimentally examine the scarf repair patches on sandwich shell specimens.
Wind turbine rotor blade shells are manufactured as sandwich structures with fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) due to the material’s high specific stiffness and strength. With a growing renewable energy industry and thereby a spread of wind energy farms, especially in offshore applications, the need to fully utilize turbines through their designed lifespan is becoming increasingly essential. However, due to imperfections during manufacturing, which are then propagated by harsh environmental conditions and a variety of loads, blades often fail before their projected lifespan. Thus, the need for localized repair patch methods for the outer shell portions of the blades has become of greater interest in recent years, as it is crucial to the optimal compromise between continuation of wind energy production, cost efficiency, and restoration of structural performance. To increase the understanding of the effect on the fatigue life of the rotor blades, this study tests localized repair patch methods and compares them to each other as well as to reference, non-repaired specimens. Manufactured with the vacuum-assisted resin infusion process, the shell test specimens are produced as a curved structure with glass FRP sandwiching a polyvinyl chloride foam core to best represent a portion of a rotor blade shell. Patch repairs are then introduced with varying layup techniques, and material properties are examined with cyclic fatigue tests. The intermediate scale test specimens allow for the observation of material as well as structural variables, namely of interest being the stiffness and strength restoration due to the repair patches. Damage onset, crack development, and eventual failure are monitored with in-situ non-destructive testing methods to develop a robust understanding of the effects of repair concepts.
Hochleistungsverbundwerkstoffe, bzw. Glasfaser-Kunststoff-Verbunde (GFK), haben sich als Leichtbauwerkstoffe für Leichtflugzeuge und Rotorblätter von Windkraftanlagen etabliert. Die hohe spezifische Festigkeit und Steifigkeit qualifizieren sie besonders für diese Anwendung. Während der Fertigung werden Imperfektionen häufig in die Blattschalen eingebracht. Durch Witterungseinflüsse kommt es zum Schadensfortschritt. Infolgedessen treten Schäden in der Blattschale, die den sicheren Betrieb gefährden können, weit vor der projektierten Lebensdauer von 20 Jahren auf. Da der Austausch von ganzen Blättern sehr kostintensiv ist, ist eine lokale Reparatur des geschädigten Bereichs zur Wiederherstellung der strukturellen Integrität, viel preisgünstiger. Die Reparatur von Rotorblättern ist in den letzten Jahren zu einem wichtigen Thema geworden. Derzeit werden verschiedenste Reparaturkonzepte angewendet. Eine einheitliche Reparaturvorgabe gibt es bisher nicht. Die Auswirkungen der angewendeten Reparaturkonzepte auf die Betriebsfestigkeit der Reparaturstelle sind weitestgehend unbekannt und sollen deshalb in diesem Projekt untersucht werden. Gekrümmte Voll-Laminat sowie Sandwich Prüfkörper werden mit dem Vacuum-Assisted-Resin-Infusion-Prozess (VARI) produziert. Um einen Teil einer Rotorblattschale darzustellen, sind sie als GFK aufgebaut, beziehungsweise die Sandwich Strukturen mit einem Polyvinylchlorid-Schaumkern (PVC) Kern, wie im Original. Schalenreparaturen in verschiedenen Layup-Techniken und Geometrie werden eingebracht und die Materialeigenschaften mit zyklischen Ermüdungstests untersucht. Im Projekt werden ideal im Labor erzeugte Reparaturstellen mit in der Praxis angewendeten Ausführungstechniken eines Industriepartners experimentell verglichen. Für die in-situ Detektion der Schadensentwicklung während des Ermüdungsversuches kommt ein kombiniertes Felddehnungs- und Thermografie-Kamerasystem zum Einsatz. Das mechanische Verhalten und die Schadensentwicklung in den verschiedenen reparierten Prüfkörper wird miteinander sowie mit den Referenzproben ohne Reparaturstellen verglichen. Zudem wird in numerischen Modellen für die verschiedenen Reparaturtechniken eine Spannungsanalyse durchgeführt um hinsichtlich der Betriebsbeanspruchung eine Bewertung angeben zu können.
High-performance composites, including glass-fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) materials, are favored as a construction material for wind turbine rotor blades due to their high specific strength and stiffness properties. During the manufacturing process, however, imperfections are often introduced, then further propagated due to harsh environmental conditions and a variety of loads. This leads to failure significantly before their projected 20-year lifespan. As replacement of entire blades can be a costly potential outcome, localized repair of the damaged region to restore structural integrity and thus lengthen its lifespan has become an important issue in recent years. Rotor blades are often repaired using a common technique for composite laminates: adhesively bonded structural repair patches. These methods involve replacing the lost load path with a new material that is joined to the parent structure, and include scarf or plug repairs. However, there currently do not exist any standardized repair procedures for wind turbine rotor blades, as comparisons of blade properties repaired with the existing methods have not been studied in depth. Namely, there is a lack of understanding about the effects of various repair methods on the fatigue life of the shells of rotor blades. This study therefore aims to begin to fill this knowledge gap by testing the influence of different repair patches on the blades’ mechanical properties. Manufactured with the vacuum-assisted resin infusion process, the test specimens are produced as a curved structure with GFRP sandwiching a polyvinyl chloride foam core to best represent a portion of a rotor blade shell. Scarf repairs are then introduced with varying layup techniques, and material properties are examined with cyclical fatigue tests. Crack growth and development is monitored during fatigue testing by various non-destructive testing methods, including passive thermography with an infrared camera system, and a 3D deformation analysis system with ARAMIS. Large deformation fields and detection of in- and out-of-plane deformations is thus possible in-situ. The mechanical behavior and development of defects in the various repaired specimens is compared to each other as well as to reference test specimens with no repair patches. In-situ test data is combined with further non-destructive testing methods, including laminography, and active thermography, to develop a robust understanding of the effects of repair concepts.
Localized patches are a cost- and time-effective method for repairing fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) sandwich wind turbine rotor blade shells. To increase the understanding of their effect on the fatigue of the blades, this study examines the effect of various layup methods of localized repair patches on the structural integrity of composite sandwich structures. Manufactured with the vacuum-assisted resin infusion (VARI) process, the shell test specimens are produced as a curved structure with glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) sandwiching a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) foam core. Patch repairs are then introduced with varying layup techniques, and material properties are examined with cyclic fatigue tests. The transition region between patch and parent material is studied in greater detail with finite element method (FEM) simulations, with a focus on the effect of fiber orientation mismatch. Damage onset, crack development, and eventual failure are monitored with in-situ non-destructive testing methods to develop a robust understanding of the effects of repair concepts on material stiffness and strength.
A potential repair alternative to restoring the mechanical properties of lightweight fiberreinforced polymer (FRP) structures is to locally patch these areas with scarf joints. The effects of such repair methods on the structural integrity, however, are still largely unknown. In this paper, the mechanical property restoration, failure mechanism, and influence of fiber orientation mismatch between parent and repair materials of 1:50 scarf joints are studied on monolithic glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) specimens under tensile load. Two different parent orientations of [-45/+45]2S and [0/90]2S are exemplarily examined, and control specimens are taken as a baseline for the tensile strength and stiffness property recovery assessment. Using a layer-wise stress analysis with finite element simulations conducted with ANSYS Composite PrepPost to support the experimental
investigation, the fiber orientation with respect to load direction is shown to affect the critical regions and thereby failure mechanism of the scarf joint specimens.
Fully-reversed fatigue behavior of scarf joint repairs for wind turbine blade shell applications
(2022)
To enable a quick and cost-effective return to service for wind turbine blades, localized repairs can be executed by technicians in the field. Scarf repairs, shown to be highly efficient with a smooth load transition across angled joint walls and a restored aerodynamic profile, are the focus of this work. The failure mechanisms of these structures were examined under quasi-static tensile and fully-reversed cyclic loading. While the scarf ratio was held constant at 1:50, the repair layup was varied between large-to-small and small-to-large. The effect of the presence of resin pockets and the fiber orientation mismatch between parent and repair material on the restored strength of BIAX ±45° glass fiber reinforced polymer scarf joint structures was studied.
Prolonging structural integrity—Fatigue of scarf repairs for wind turbine blade shell applications
(2023)
The influence of scarf repair variables on the mechanical properties of glass fiber reinforced polymer sandwich structures is examined for the application of wind turbine blade shell repairs. Reference shell specimens are tested under fully-reversed cyclic loading to understand the fatigue behavior of the sub-component structure within a range of in-service loads, to which shell specimens with a scarf joint repair are compared. A fatiguesuperior repair material is shown to improve the fatigue behavior of the repaired structures compared to the reference specimens. In separating layup and geometry, damage development is examined on the subcomponent scale for a structural understanding of a scarf repair using in-situ digital image correlation-based strain field measurements as well as passive thermography. Within scarf repair variables, the geometry is shown to play a larger role than layup in the fatigue performance of the repaired structure.
The presence of large quantities of plastic waste and its fragmentation in various environmental compartments are an important subject of current research. In the environment, (photo ) oxidation processes and mechanical abrasion lead to the formation of microplastics. However, until now, there are no established quality assurance concepts for the analysis of microplastic (<5 mm) in environmental compartments, including sampling, processing and analysis.
The aim of the present work is the development of suitable examination methods and protocols (sampling, sample preparation and detection) to qualify and quantify microplastic in urbane water management systems. At first a fractional filtration system for sampling and the analytical tool, the so-called TED-GC-MS (thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry) were developed. The TED-GC-MS method is a two-step analytical procedure which consists of a thermal extraction where the sample is annealed and characteristic decomposition products of the polymers are collected on a solid phase. Afterwards these products are analysed using GC-MS. The developed fractional filtration for sampling and the TED-GC-MS for detection were used for quantitative analysis to screen the waste water influent and effluent of a Berlin waste water treatment plant for the most relevant polymers, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyamide (PA).
The results of the study revealed that the polymeres PE, PS and PP were detected in the effluent, and PE and PS were find in the raw waste water of the sewage treatment plant in Ruhleben, Berlin. Differences in polymer types and amounts were detected at different sampling dates and within different sieve fractions. Much higher amounts of polymers were observed in the raw waste water. The peak areas of the decomposition products, used for quantification of the polymers, were adjusted using so-called response factors since the TED-GC-MS method is more sensitive for PP and PS than for PE. It has been shown that PE is the most dominant polymer in the samples. Comparing the masses of polymers in the effluent and in the raw sewage, a removal of 99 % of the polymers in the water treatment plant can be assumed. These results are consistent with the literature where removal rates between 98-99 % were described.
Among the strategies to produce healable thermosetting systems is their modification by the addition of thermoplastic particles. This work investigates the influence of poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) (EMAA) on fibermatrix interfacial properties of a glass fiber reinforced epoxy matrix composite. Epoxy-EMAA interactions were evaluated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and infrared spectroscopy. The effects of EMAA on the epoxy network formation were evidenced by changes in glass transition temperature, cure kinetics and alteration of chemical groups during cure. Interfacial shear strength (IFSS) measurements obtained by single fiber pull-out tests indicate similar interfacial properties for pure and EMAA modified epoxy. Additionally, the potential for self-healing ability of an EMAA modified epoxy was demonstrated. However, IFSS after a healing cycle for the EMAA modified epoxy was lower as compared to the pure epoxy, because of the lower fiber-EMAA interfacial shear strength. So, thermoplastic healing agents has not only to fill cracks in the matrix material, but also have to be optimized regarding its interface properties to the reinforcing fibers.
Tooth wear induced by abrasive particles is a key process affecting dental function and life expectancy in mammals. Abrasive particles may be plant endogenous opal phytoliths, exogene wind-blown quartz dust or rain borne mineral particles ingested by mammals. Nano-indentation hardness of abrasive particles and dental tissues is a significant yet not fully established parameter of this tribological system. We provide consistent nano-indentation hardness data for some of the major antagonists in the dental tribosystem (tooth enamel, tooth dentine and opaline phytoliths from silica controlled cultivation). All indentation data were gathered from native tissues under stable and controlled conditions and thus maximize comparability to natural systems. Here we show that native (hydrated) wild boar enamel exceeds any hardness measures known for dry herbivore tooth enamel by at least 3 GPa. The native tooth enamel is not necessarily softer then environmental quartz grit, although there is little overlap. The native hardness of the tooth enamel exceeds that of any silica phytolith hardness recently published. Further, we find that native reed phytoliths equal native suine dentine in hardness, but does not exceed native suine enamel. We also find that native suine enamel is significantly harder than dry enamel and dry phytoliths are harder than native phytoliths. Our data challenge the claim that the culprit of tooth wear may be the food we chew, but suggest instead that wear may relates more to exogenous than endogenous abrasives.
With this presentation, the push-out technique is explained. The focus of the experimental work is on the characterization of the fiber-matrix interface of short fiber reinforced composites. The reinforcing component was glass fibers and the matrix polymer was PA6.6 and PPA.
It is demonstrated for the first time that the push-out technique ca be applied on injection molded short fiber PMC and is sensitive to the mechanical interface properties. Further studies are planned on the influence of multiple processing, the temperature and humidity.
The present work provides a comparative study on the interface and adhesion properties of surface modified single glass fibers embedded in an acrylate matrix. To facilitate a covalent bonding at the fibermatrix interface, the fibers are functionalized with selected organosilanes that comprise either passive (unsaturated C¼C bonds of methacrylate moieties) or photoactive functionalities (photocleavable bis(acyl)phosphane oxide groups). Immobilization of the functional silanes is carried out by a classic silanization reaction involving a condensation reaction across the surface hydroxyl groups of the inorganic glass fibers. The change of the physico-chemical properties of the fibers due to desizing and subsequent surface modification is monitored by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and zeta potential measurements. In addition, scanning electron microscopy is used to follow the changes in surface morphology. After the modification step, the desized and modified single fibers are embedded in a photocurable acrylate resin formulation. By performing single fiber pull-out tests, maximum pull-out force, friction strength and apparent interfacial shear strength are determined as a function of the coupled silanes. The results reveal that the attached organosilanes lead to a significant increase in adhesion strength, whilst the performance of the photo-cleavable organosilane is superior to the passive methacryl-functional derivative.
Epoxy R-Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) composite plates were hydrothermally aged at 60 ◦C for 23, 75, and 133 days. The water content reached 0.97 wt%, 1.45 wt% and 1.63 wt%, respectively. The studied GFRP matrix was inert to hydrolysis or chain scission, allowing for investigation of irreversible changes in the fiber-matrix interphase due to hydrothermal aging upon re-drying. During each period, a subset of the specimens was removed from the water bath and dried in a chamber. The weight loss upon drying was explained with epoxy leaching (impurities), sizing-rich interphase hydrolysis, glass fiber surface hydrolysis, accumulated degradation products escaping, and water changing state from bound to free. The influence of hydrothermal aging on the fiber-matrix interfacial properties was investigated. Lower interfacial strength of hydrothermally aged (wet)
samples was attributed to plasticization of the epoxy, plasticization and degradation of the sizing-rich interphase (including formation of hydrolytic flaws), and hydrolytic degradation of the glass fiber surface. The kinetics of epoxy-compatible epoxysilane W2020 sizing-rich interphase hydrolysis provided an estimate of ca. 1.49%, 4.80%, and 8.49% of the total composite interphase degraded after 23, 75, and 133 days, respectively. At these conditions, the interface lost 39%, 48%, and 51% of its strength. Upon re-drying the specimens, a significant part of the interfacial strength was regained. Furthermore, an upward trend was observed, being 13%, 10% and 3% strength, respectively; thus, indicating a possibility of partial recovery of properties.
Die Werkstoffgruppe der Faser-Kunststoff-Verbunde (FKV) hat sich aufgrund ihrer hervorragenden Leichtbaueigenschaften unter anderem im Sportgerätebau, in der Luft- und Raumfahrt und in der Windenergieindustrie etabliert. Die so hergestellten Strukturen sind in der Regel nicht nur mechanischen Belastungen, sondern auch thermischen Lasten in einem breiten Temperaturspektrum ausgesetzt. Dennoch ist die Auswirkung des Temperatureinflusses bei einer Kombination von thermischer und mechanischer Last auf die Lebensdauer von Strukturen aus FKV bisher nur wenig untersucht.
Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wird der Einfluss von Temperaturen zwischen 213 K und 343 K auf einen Glasfaser-Epoxidharz-Verbund experimentell untersucht. Das Material wird in diesem Temperaturbereich eingehend charakterisiert: Es werden sowohl die thermomechanischen Eigenschaften von Faser- und Matrixwerkstoff als auch die des Verbundes ermittelt. In einem weiteren Schritt wird dann der Einfluss der Temperatur auf die Schädigungsentwicklung im quasi-statischen Lastfall sowie unter schwingender Ermüdungsbeanspruchung bei verschiedenen FKV-Mehrschichtverbunden analysiert.
Basierend auf den experimentellen Daten wird ein Zusammenhang zwischen der Schädigung und der Anstrengung der Matrix innerhalb der Einzelschicht demonstriert. Die Matrixanstrengung wird mithilfe eines mikromechanischen Modells unter Berücksichtigung der thermomechanischen Eigenspannungen analytisch berechnet. Bei Querzugbeanspruchung kann gezeigt werden, dass eine Vorhersage der Schädigung in Abhängigkeit der Volumenänderungsenergie innerhalb der Matrix getroffen werden kann.
Mithilfe des Konzepts der Matrixanstrengung ist eine Vorhersage der Lebensdauer des Werkstoffs unter schwingender Ermüdungsbeanspruchung in Abhängigkeit der Einsatztemperatur möglich.
Cyclic fatigue behavior of glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin at ambient and elevated temperatures
(2018)
The fatigue behavior of ±45° glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin under cyclic mechanical and constant thermal loading is investigated in this study. Tests at three different temperature levels in the range 296 K to 343 K have been performed in order to create S-N curves for each temperature level. The specimen damage is measured in-situ using optical grayscale analysis. The characteristic damage state (CDS) is evaluated for each specimen. It is shown that the point of CDS is suitable as a failure criterion to compare the resulting S-N curves. With micromechanical formulations, the temperature-dependent matrix effort is calculated for each stress-temperature level. In terms of matrix effort, the longest fatigue life is reached at high temperatures, while, in terms of stress, the lowest fatigue life is reached at the highest temperatures.
Faser-Kunststoff-Verbunde (FKV) werden zunehmend in der Luft- und Raumfahrt, der Automobil- und Windenergieindustrie eingesetzt. Die hier entwickelten Bauteile sind oft nicht nur multiaxialen mechanischen Belastungen, sondern auch hohen klimatischen Beanspruchungen ausgesetzt. Einsatztemperaturen zwischen -60°C und 100°C bei 10-90% relativer Feuchte sind keine Seltenheit, in der Raumfahrt sind die thermischen Belastungen noch extremer. Die Auswirkungen einer Wechselwirkung extremer klimatischer Beanspruchungen mit multiaxialen mechanischen Belastungen wurden bisher kaum betrachtet. Das Ziel des Projektes ist die Untersuchung des Ermüdungsverhaltens der Faser-Kunststoff-Verbunde in Abhängigkeit von multiaxialer mechanischer Belastung, Temperatur und Feuchte. Dazu werden umfangreiche experimentelle Untersuchungen an Flach- und Rohrproben sowie numerische und analytische Berechnungen durchgeführt.
Im Rahmen des Seminarvortrags wird eine mikromechanische Modellierung der thermischen Eigenspannungen innerhalb des FKV vorgestellt, welche anhand eines Finite-Elemente-Modells validiert wird. Zur Bestimmung einer Schädigungsgrenze werden verschiedene Energieansätze diskutiert, welche anschließend mit den experimentell erhaltenen Ergebnissen im Temperaturbereich zwischen -60 °C und 70 °C verglichen werden. Dabei wird gezeigt, dass mithilfe der mikromechanischen Formulierung eine temperaturunabhängige Masterschädigungslinie für quasistatisch belastete Probekörper abgeleitet werden kann. Des Weiteren können Elastizitäten und Festigkeiten in Abhängigkeit der Temperatur mit den mikromechanischen Mischungsregeln bestimmt werden. So kann der experimentelle Aufwand beim Nachweis thermomechanisch belasteter Strukturen reduziert werden. Ein ähnlicher Ansatz wird für schwingende Ermüdungsbelastung bei verschiedenen Umgebungstemperaturen diskutiert und experimentell überprüft.
In this study, the thermomechanical damage behavior of a glass fiber reinforced polymer material is investigated. The coefficients of thermal expansion of the composite as well as the matrix are measured in a wide temperature range. Quasi-static experiments with neat resin, unidirectional and multidirectional laminates are performed as well as fatigue experiments in a temperature range from 213 K to 343 K. This study focusses on the matrix damage due to fiber-parallel loading. A correlation between matrix effort, the dilatational strain energy of the matrix and the damage state of the specimen is demonstrated. It is shown that a fatigue life assessment can be performed with the aid of a temperature-independent master fatigue curve.
Cyclic fatigue behavior of glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin at ambient and elevated temperatures
(2018)
The fatigue behavior of ±45° glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin under cyclic mechanical and constant thermal loading is investigated in this study. Tests at three different temperature levels in the range 296 K to 343 K have been performed in order to create S-N curves for each temperature level. The specimen damage is measured in-situ using optical grayscale analysis. The characteristic damage state (CDS) is evaluated for each specimen. It is shown that the point of CDS is suitable as a failure criterion to compare the resulting S-N curves. With micromechanical formulations, the temperature-dependent matrix effort is calculated for each stress-temperature level. In terms of matrix effort, the longest fatigue life is reached at high temperatures, while, in terms of stress, the lowest fatigue life is reached at the highest temperatures.
3D structural investigations are described by X-ray laminography studies of sandwich shell segments, made of a PVC foam core, covered by non-crimp fabric glass fibre composite lay-ups processed by vacuum assisted resin infusion of epoxy. The specific scope of this study is to image transversal flaws within the foam core (joints) and of single ply overlaps. Test flaws were purposely implemented in order to simulate typical failure under cyclic load. In a dedicated test rig for shell structures, the flaw evolution/propagation is monitored by thermography and optical 3D inspection of deformation. Due to the unfavourable preconditions for classical computed tomography as of large aspect ratio, the samples were investigated by coplanar translational laminography. Its limited range of observation angles of ± 45°, results in anisotropic artefacts about the normal to the sample surface, but the typical flaws are well visualized in the as-prepared state, in a state of early damage, and in the repaired state.
Modern air-liners and rotor blades of wind turbines are basically made of fiber reinforced plastics (FRP). Their failure heavily impairs the serviceability and the operational safety. Consequently, knowledge of the failure behavior under static and cyclic loads is of great interest to estimate the operational strength and to compare the performance of different materials. Ideally, the damage evolution under operational load is determined with in-situ non-destructive testing techniques. Here, we report on in-situ synchrotron X-ray imaging of tensile stress induced cracks in carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) due to inter fiber failure. An in-house designed compact-tensile testing machine with a load range up to 15 kN was integrated into the beam path. Since conventional radiographs do not reveal sufficient contrast to distinct cracks due to inter fiber failure and micro cracking from fiber bundles, the Diffraction Enhanced Imaging technique (DEI) is applied in order to separate primary and scattered (refracted) radiation by means of an analyzer crystal. In the laboratory, scanning X-ray refraction topography of CFRP has been applied long before but it comes along with several disadvantages: the long total measuring time hampers real time (in-situ) measurements and the required small beam size hinders end-to-end imaging. The introduced technique overcomes both drawbacks. Imaging and tensile test rig are run unsynchronized at the greatest possible frame rate (0.7 s-1 at 28.8 µm pixel size) and smallest possible strain rate (5.5∙10-4 s-1). For 0°/90° non-crimped fabrics (ncf) the first inter fiber cracks occurred at 380 MPa (strain 0.7 %). Prior to failure at about 760 MPa (strain 2.0 %) we observe the evolution of a nearly equidistant 1 mm grid of cracks running across the entire sample in the fully damaged state before total failure.
Behälter aus hochdichtem Polyethylen (PE-HD) werden zur Lagerung und für den Transport von Kraftstoffen eingesetzt. Beim Kontakt beider Medien diffundiert der Kraftstoff in das Polymer, erhöht dessen Volumen und Duktilität und ändert damit das Fließverhalten des Polymers unter Zugbelastung. Zudem weist PE-HD in Luft im verstreckten Bereich das sogenannte strain-whitening (Lichtstreuung) auf, während in Diesel gelagertes PE-HD optisch transparent wird. Zur Untersuchung dieses Phänomens wurden ortsaufgelöste Röntgenrefraktion und –diffraktion (Topographie) eingesetzt. Aus Sicht der molekularen Struktur (Diffraktion) weisen die beiden Probentypen keine Unterschiede auf: im verstreckten Bereich liegt eine „Fasertextur“ der Polymerketten in Belastungsrichtung vor, im unverstreckten Bereich nahezu ideale Isotropie. Die für mikroskopische Strukturen empfindliche Röntgenrefraktion zeigt außerdem für die Probe in Luft im verstreckten Bereich eine ausgeprägte Orientierung von Grenzflächen in Zugrichtung, während die in Diesel gelagerte Probe keine Grenzflächen zeigt. In Analogie zum optischen Verhalten bewirken die ähnlichen Brechungsindizes beider Medien im Röntgenbereich, dass eindiffundierter Diesel als Immersionsflüssigkeit die Brechungseigenschaften herabsetzt.
Behälter aus hochdichtem Polyethylen (PE-HD) werden zur Lagerung und für den Transport von Kraftstoffen eingesetzt. Beim Kontakt beider Medien diffundiert der Kraftstoff in das Polymer, erhöht dessen Volumen und Duktilität und ändert damit das Fließverhalten des Polymers unter Zugbelastung. Zudem weist PE-HD in Luft im verstreckten Bereich das sogenannte strain-whitening (Lichtstreuung) auf, während in Diesel gelagertes PE-HD optisch transparent wird. Zur Untersuchung dieses Phänomens wurden ortsaufgelöste Röntgenrefraktion und –diffraktion (Topographie) eingesetzt. Aus Sicht der molekularen Struktur (Diffraktion) weisen die beiden Probentypen keine Unterschiede auf: im verstreckten Bereich liegt eine „Fasertextur“ der Polymerketten in Belastungsrichtung vor, im unverstreckten Bereich nahezu ideale Isotropie. Die für mikroskopische Strukturen empfindliche Röntgenrefraktion zeigt außerdem für die Probe in Luft im verstreckten Bereich eine ausgeprägte Orientierung von Grenzflächen in Zugrichtung, während die in Diesel gelagerte Probe keine Grenzflächen zeigt. In Analogie zum optischen Verhalten bewirken die ähnlichen Brechungsindizes beider Medien im Röntgenbereich, dass eindiffundierter Diesel als Immersionsflüssigkeit die Brechungseigenschaften herabsetzt.
Modern air-liners and wind turbine rotor blades are made up primarily of fiber reinforced plastics. Failure of these materials heavily impairs the serviceability and the operational safety. Consequently, knowledge of the failure behavior under static and cyclic loads is of great interest to estimate the operational strength and to compare the performance of different materials. Ideally, the damage evolution under operational load is determined with in-situ non-destructive testing techniques. Here, we report in-situ synchrotron X-ray imaging of tensile stress induced cracks in carbon fiber reinforced plastics due to inter-fiber failure. An inhouse designed compact tensile testing machine with a load range up to 15 kN was integrated into the beamline. Since conventional radiographs do not reveal sufficient contrast to distinguish cracks due to inter-fiber failure and micro cracking from fiber bundles, the Diffraction Enhanced Imaging (DEI) technique is applied in order to separate primary and scattered (refracted) radiation by means of an analyzer crystal. This technique allows fast measurements over large fields-of-view and is ideal for in-situ investigations.
In Leichtbauanwendungen sind Materialien mit geringen Dichten und hohen Festigkeiten gefragt. Insbesondere Faser-Kunststoff-Verbunde (FKV) erfüllen diese Anforderungen und werden zunehmend für Strukturbauteile eingesetzt. Die Oberflächen moderner Rotorblätter von Windkraftanlagen werden aus FKV gefertigt. Das Versagen dieser Materialien hat massiven Einfluss auf die Einsatzfähigkeit der gesamten Windkraftanlage. Daher ist die Kenntnis des Versagensverhaltens dieser Komponenten unter statischer und zyklischer Belastung von großem Interesse, um die Betriebsbeanspruchung abzuschätzen. Im Idealfall wird die Schadensentwicklung unter Betriebslast mit zerstörungsfreien in-situ-Prüfverfahren ermittelt. Hier berichten wir über die Beobachtung der Rissentwicklung in Carbon-Faserverstärkten Kunststoffen (CFK) unter kontinuierlicher Zugbelastung durch in-situ Synchrotron-Röntgenrefraktionsradiographie. Eine selbst entwickelte elektromechanische Zugprüfmaschine mit einem Kraftbereich bis zu 15 kN wurde in den Strahlengang an der BAMline (BESSY II) integriert. Da in herkömmlichen (Absorptions-) Radiographien Defekte wie Zwischenfaserbrüche oder Faser-Matrix-Enthaftung keinen ausreichenden Kontrast verursachen, wird zur Kontrastanhebung die Röntgenrefraktion benutzt. Hier wird das sogenannte Diffraction Enhanced Imaging (DEI) angewandt, um Primär- und gebrochene Strahlung mit Hilfe eines Analysatorkristalls zu trennen. Diese Technik ermöglicht schnelle Messungen mit einem Gesichtsfeld von einigen Quadratmillimetern (hier: 14 mm × 7.2 mm) und ist ideal für in-situ Untersuchungen. Die Bildgebung und der Zugversuch erfolgen mit einer Bildfrequenz von 0.7 / s und einer Dehnrate von 0.00055 / s . Bei 0°/90° Fasergelegen treten die ersten Zwischenfaserrisse bei 380 MPa (Dehnung 0.8 %) auf. Vor dem Versagen bei ca. 760 MPa (Dehnung 2.0 %) beobachten wir die Ausbildung eines nahezu äquidistanten Rissmusters (Risse in ca. 1 mm Abstand), das sich im geschädigten Zustand über die gesamte Probe erstreckt.
Modern air-liners and wind turbine rotor blades are made up primarily of fiber reinforced plastics. Failure of these materials heavily impairs the serviceability and the operational safety. Consequently, knowledge of the failure behavior under static and cyclic loads is of great interest to estimate the operational strength and to compare the performance of different materials. Ideally, the damage evolution under operational load is determined with in situ non-destructive testing techniques. Here, we report in-situ synchrotron X-ray imaging of tensile stress induced cracks in carbon fiber reinforced plastics due to inter-fiber failure. An inhouse designed compact tensile testing machine with a load range up to 15 kN was integrated into the beamline. Since conventional radiographs do not reveal sufficient contrast to distinguish cracks due to inter-fiber failure and micro cracking from fiber bundles, the Diffraction Enhanced Imaging (DEI) technique is applied in order to separate primary and scattered (refracted) radiation by means of an analyzer crystal. This technique allows fast measurements over large fields-of-view and is ideal for in-situ investigations. Imaging and the tensile test are run at the highest possible frame rate (0.7 s-1 ) and the lowest possible strain rate (5.5∙10-4 s -1 ). For 0°/90° non-crimp fabrics, the first inter-fiber cracks occur at 380 MPa (strain 0.8 %). Prior to failure at about 760 MPa (strain 2.0 %), we observe the evolution of nearly equidistant (1 mm distance) cracks running across the entire sample in the fully damaged state.
In Leichtbauanwendungen sind Materialien mit geringen Dichten und hohen Festigkeiten gefragt. Insbesondere Faser-Kunststoff-Verbunde (FKV) erfüllen diese Anforderungen und werden zunehmend für Strukturbauteile eingesetzt. Die Oberflächen moderner Rotorblätter von Windkraftanlagen werden aus FKV gefertigt. Das Versagen dieser Materialien hat massiven Einfluss auf die Einsatzfähigkeit der gesamten Windkraftanlage. Daher ist die Kenntnis des Versagensverhaltens dieser Komponenten unter statischer und zyklischer Belastung von großem Interesse, um die Betriebsbeanspruchung abzuschätzen. Im Idealfall wird die Schadensentwicklung unter Betriebslast mit zerstörungsfreien in-situ-Prüfverfahren ermittelt. Hier berichten wir über die Beobachtung der Rissentwicklung in Carbon-Faserverstärkten Kunststoffen (CFK) unter kontinuierlicher Zugbelastung durch in-situ Synchrotron-Röntgenrefraktionsradiographie. Eine selbst entwickelte elektromechanische Zugprüfmaschine mit einem Kraftbereich bis zu 15 kN wurde in den Strahlengang an der BAMline (BESSY II) integriert. Da in herkömmlichen (Absorptions-) Radiographien Defekte wie Zwischenfaserbrüche oder Faser-Matrix-Enthaftung keinen ausreichenden Kontrast verursachen, wird zur Kontrastanhebung die Röntgenrefraktion benutzt. Hier wird das sogenannte Diffraction Enhanced Imaging (DEI) angewandt, um Primär- und gebrochene Strahlung mit Hilfe eines Analysatorkristalls zu trennen. Diese Technik ermöglicht schnelle Messungen mit einem Gesichtsfeld von einigen Quadratmillimetern (hier: 14 mm × 7.2 mm) und ist ideal für in-situ Untersuchungen. Die Bildgebung und der Zugversuch erfolgen mit einer Bildfrequenz von 0.7 / s und einer Dehnrate von 0.00055 / s . Bei 0°/90° Fasergelegen treten die ersten Zwischenfaserrisse bei 380 MPa (Dehnung 0.8 %) auf. Vor dem Versagen bei ca. 760 MPa (Dehnung 2.0 %) beobachten wir die Ausbildung eines nahezu äquidistanten Rissmusters (Risse in ca. 1 mm Abstand), das sich im geschädigten Zustand über die gesamte Probe erstreckt.
3D structural investigations are described by X-ray laminography studies of sandwich shell segments, made of a PVC foam core, covered by non-crimp fabric glass fibre composite lay-ups processed by vacuum assisted resin infusion of epoxy. The specific scope of this study is to image transversal flaws within the foam core (joints) and of single ply overlaps. Test flaws were purposely implemented in order to simulate typical failure under cyclic load. In a dedicated test rig for shell structures, the flaw evolution/propagation is monitored by thermography and optical 3D inspection of deformation. Due to the unfavourable preconditions for classical computed tomography as of large aspect ratio, the samples were investigated by coplanar translational laminography. Its limited range of observation angles of ± 45°, results in anisotropic artefacts about the normal to the sample surface, but the typical flaws are well visualized in the as-prepared state, in a state of early damage, and in the repaired state.
Poly (ether ether ketone) (PEEK) has a high continuous service temperature, excellent mechanical properties, and good solvent and abrasion resistance, which can be further improved through the addition of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). CNT-PEEK nanocomposites are promising matrices for continuous carbon fibre composites; powder processing can mitigate the high melt viscosities in these systems. In this study, model single fibre (hierarchical) composites were produced by embedding sized and desized carbon fibres in nanocomposite CNTPEEK powders followed by single fibre pull-out tests to assess interfacial characteristics. Carbon fibre-PEEK interfacial shear strength is typically 40–45 MPa. Increasing CNT loadings increased fibre-matrix interfacial shear strength linearly up to ~70 MPa at 5.0 wt%, which was attributed to the CNT-based mechanical modification of the PEEK matrix. Apparent interfacial shear strength was inversely correlated with the embedded fibre length irrespective of carbon fibre sizing or CNT loading, indicating brittle fracture of the fibre-matrix interface.
Pulled out carbon fibres were still coated with the matrix, which indicated strong adhesion at the interface in all samples, likely related to a transcrystalline region. Adhesion was, however, negatively affected by the presence of epoxy sizings. Frictional shear strength was independent of embedded fibre length and CNT content for all samples.
Fiber-reinforced-polymers (FRPs) are in current research focus in the lightweight construction industry, because of their extraordinary characteristics (stiffness and strength-to-density relation). The structure of polymer matrix and the interaction with reinforcement are crucial for optimization of the mechanical and thermal properties of FRPs. Due to the macromolecular chain structure, the mechanical properties of a polymer strongly vary with temperature: Below the glass transition, the chain segments of a polymer are “frozen”. Regarding fracture, the total changed energy during fracture if only dissipates for the generation of the new surfaces. However, in the region of the glass transition, the polymer chain segments start to get “unfrozen”, and the energy is not only required for generating new surfaces, but also for irreversibly deformation. This irreversible deformation is affected by the global temperature and the local temperature near the crack tip, which is affected by the local strain rate and crack propagation velocity.
Hence, in this research project, the irreversible deformation of neat and reinforced polymers will be controlled by changing the global temperature as well as the local temperature. With using different fracture experiments, the amount of energy required for creating new surfaces and for the irreversible deformation will be separated. In this presentation, I summarized of the first 15 months the whole project. In this period, the basic crack propagation theory for neat polymers is established and the special fracture experiment sample is prepared and tested at room temperature. In addition, the model of the specimen is first established.
Fiber-reinforced-polymers (FRPs) are in current research focus in the lightweight construction industry, because of their extraordinary characteristics (stiffness and strength-to-density relation). The structure of polymer matrix and the interaction with reinforcement are crucial for optimization of the mechanical and thermal properties of FRPs. Due to the macromolecular chain structure, the mechanical properties of a polymer strongly vary with temperature: Below the glass transition, the chain segments of a polymer are “frozen”. Regarding fracture, the total changed energy during fracture if only dissipates for the generation of the new surfaces. However, in the region of the glass transition, the polymer chain segments start to get “unfrozen”, and the energy is not only required for generating new surfaces, but also for irreversibly deformation. This irreversible deformation is affected by the global temperature and the local temperature near the crack tip, which is affected by the local strain rate and crack propagation velocity.
Hence, in this research project, the irreversible deformation of neat and reinforced polymers will be controlled by changing the global temperature as well as the local temperature. With using different fracture experiments, the amount of energy required for creating new surfaces and for the irreversible deformation will be separated. The fracture tests include the conventional tensile test, the macroscopic peel test and the single fiber peel – off test.
Crack propagation in polymers: Separation of surface energy and irreversible deformation energy
(2019)
Fiber-reinforced-polymers (FRPs) are in current research focus in the lightweight construction industry, because of their extraordinary characteristics (stiffness and strength-to-density relation). The structure of polymer matrix and the interaction with reinforcement are crucial for optimization of the mechanical and thermal properties of FRPs. Due to the macromolecular chain structure, the mechanical properties of a polymer strongly vary with temperature: Below the glass transition, the chain segments of a polymer are “frozen”. Regarding fracture, the total changed energy during fracture if only dissipates for the generation of the new surfaces. However, in the region of the glass transition, the polymer chain segments start to get “unfrozen”, and the energy is not only required for generating new surfaces, but also for irreversibly deformation. This irreversible deformation is affected by the global temperature and the local temperature near the crack tip, which is affected by the local strain rate and crack propagation velocity.
Hence, in this research project, the irreversible deformation of neat and reinforced polymers will be controlled by changing the global temperature as well as the local temperature. With using different fracture experiments, the amount of energy required for creating new surfaces and for the irreversible deformation will be separated. This poster is the summary of the first part of the whole project. In the first part, the basic crack propagation theory for neat polymers is established and the special fracture experiment sample is prepared and tested at room temperature. In addition, the fracture experiment at room temperature is validated numerically.
Due to the different thermal expansion of the constituent materials, cyclic thermal loading of FRP induces alternating stresses in the material at two scales: at the micro scale (level of fibre–matrix-interaction) and at the macro scale (level of the multidirectional laminate). Especially the micro scale effect is not comprehensively investigated yet. Additionally, computational investigations mostly neglect this effect due to the homogenous modelling of the composite material. As this effect is assumed to significantly contribute to the fatigue of FRP at thermal loads, the present paper suggests an experimental and numerical multiscale approach including Experiments at the different involved material scales to separately observe the effects acting at these scales. The approach also includes numerical modelling for each scale to complement the knowledge gained from the Experiments and to create a basis for the consideration of the micro effect even in macroscopic fatigue models treating homogeneous modelled composites. The main focus of the contribution is to bring the overall Approach up for discussion, rather than to present the multiscale modelling details.
The fracture surface of slow and continuous crack propagation during environmental stress cracking of a semicrystalline polyethylene exhibits isotropic roughness exponents at the local scale but resolved across the macroscopic fracture surface a clear position dependence is found. The spatially resolved roughness exponent admits values in the range between 0.1 and 0.4, demonstrating nontrivial exponents in the small length-scale regime. Instead, they vary across the fracture surface according to the stress-state distribution, which suggests that the exponents are intimately linked to the locally dominating dissipation processes during craze cracking.
The presence, fate and effects of microplastics (MP) in terrestrial systems are largely unknown. The few existing studies investigated either agricultural or industrial sites. Several techniques were used for analysis, primarly spectroscopic methods such as FTIR or Raman. Sample pretreatments like density separations are common to reduce matrix. A lack of harmonised and standardised sampling instructions for microplastic investigations in the terrestrial area was identified as particular critical, because different studies are barely comparable.
The aim of the project is to develop a proposal for a harmonized procedure for sampling, sample preparation and the detection of microplastics in terrestrial matrices for total content determination. By detecting specific degradation products the thermal extraction desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TED-GC-MS) allows a direct determination of mass content of MP in environmental samples.
Microplastics are increasingly entering marine, limnic and terrestrial ecosystems worldwide, where they sorb hydrophobic organic contaminants. Here, the sorption behavior of the fuel-related water contaminants benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene (BTEX) and four tertiary butyl ethers to virgin and via UV radiation aged polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) pellets was investigated. Changes in material properties due to aging were recorded using appropriate polymer characterization methods, such as differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and microscopy.
Pellets were exposed to water containing BTEX and the ethers at 130-190 mg/L for up to two weeks.
Aqueous sorbate concentrations were determined by headspace gas chromatography. Sorption to the polymers was correlated with the sorbate's Kow and was significant for BTEX and marginal for the ethers.
Due to substantially lower glass transition temperatures, PP showed higher sorption than PS. Aging had no effect on the sorption behavior of PP. PS sorbed less BTEX after aging due to an oxidized surface layer.
Due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and excellent fatigue resistance, glass fiber reinforced polymers (GFRP) are used as a construction material in a variety of applications including composite high-pressure gas storage vessels. Thus, an early damage detection of the composite material is of great importance. Material degradation can be determined via measuring the distributed strain profile of the GFRP structures. In this article, swept wavelength interferometry based distributed strain sensing (DSS) was applied for structural health monitoring of internal pressure loaded GFRP tube specimens. Measured strain profiles were compared to theoretical calculation considering Classical Lamination Theory. Reliable strain measurements with millimeter resolution were executed even at elongations of up to 3% in the radial direction caused by high internal pressure load. Material fatigue was localized by damaged-induced strain changes during operation, and detected already at 40% of burst pressure.
In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden verschiedene Epoxidharzsysteme charakterisiert. Zwei Systeme mit großen bruchmechanischen Unterschieden wurden zur Fertigung äquivalenter GFK- und CFK-Laminate mit Faserausrichtungen in 0/90° und ±45° ausgewählt. In quasi-statischen Zugversuchen und Einstufenschwingversuchen mit einem Beanspruchungsverhältnis von R= 0,1 wurden diese Laminate hinsichtlich ihres Schädigungsbeginns und ihrer Schädigungsentwicklung untersucht. Die Detektion der Schädigungen sowie die Dokumentation der Schädigungsentwicklung wurde anhand der Lichtabsorptionsanalyse an GFK-Laminaten und anhand der Röntgenrefraktionsanalyse an CFK-Laminaten umgesetzt. Auf diese Weise konnten Einflüsse der bruchmechanischen Eigenschaften der Matrix auf die Schädigungsentwicklung im Verbund aufgezeigt werden. Zudem wurden für die untersuchten Laminate die Schädigungsgrenzen bei schwingender Beanspruchung ermittelt. Anhand durchgeführter Schwingversuche an CFK-Laminaten im Very High Cycle Fatigue-(VHCF)-Lastwechselbereich bis 108 konnten Rückschlüsse vom Schädigungsverhalten im High Cycle Fatigue-(HCF)-Lastwechselbereich bis 106 auf die Dauerfestigkeit im VHCF-Bereich gezogen werden und damit VHCF-Dauerfestigkeitsgrenzen bestimmt werden. Mit dem Ziel die Ermüdung der Laminate auf die Beanspruchung der Matrix zurückzuführen, wurden die Erweiterte Inverse Laminattheorie, mikromechanikbasierte Mischungsregeln sowie eine Vergleichsspannungshypothese auf die untersuchten Laminate angewendet. Die Schädigungsgrenzen konnten damit in Form der Matrixbeanspruchung wiedergegeben werden. Die Abbildung der Ermüdung verschiedener Laminate anhand einer matrixspezifischen normierten Masterschädigungslinie ist für die behandelten CFK- und GFK-Laminate gelungen.
The described investigation of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRP) documents that damage evolution can be observed by means of X-ray refractography. Comparative investigations with synchrotron technique on CFRP and grey-scale analysis on glass fibre-reinforced-plastics (GFRP) confirm these results. Moreover it was found that the fracture mechanical properties of the matrix system influence damage nucleation and propagation in the laminate during static and fatigue loads. Single-step fatigue tests were carried out on Laminates with RIM135 and LY556 matrix systems made from non-crimped fabric (NCF) or twill weave in different fibre orientations. The damage to the LY556 laminates was characterized by laminate cracks growing rapidly over the whole specimen width, whereas the damage on the RIM135 laminates was characterized by an earlier onset of micro-cracking followed by laminate cracks. The specimens were fatigued up to 108 (very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) regime) load cycles. S-N-curves of damage initiation were drawn and boundaries were identified for endurance within the VHCF regime. A phenomenology based model focusing on matrix stress was applied to reproduce the first inter-fibre failure (IFF) under static and fatigue loads.
Rotorblätter von Windenergieanlagen (WEA) weisen häufig nach wenigen Jahren, lange vor dem Erreichen der prognostizierten Lebensdauer von 20 bis 30 Jahren Risse in der Blattschale auf. Die Folge sind aufwendige Reparaturen am installierten und schwer zugänglichen Rotorblatt und der kostenintensive Nutzungsausfall durch den Stillstand der WEA.
Als mögliche Initiatoren für die Schäden in der Blattschale der Rotorblätter gelten fertigungsbedingte Imperfektionen. Für die Untersuchung des Einflusses dieser Imperfektionen auf das Ermüdungsverhalten der Rotorblätter wurde an der BAM (Bundesanstalt für Mate-rialforschung und -prüfung) ein Prüfstand für statische und zyklische Versuche von Schalensegmenten im intermediate scale entwickelt und betrieben. Die untersuchten Schalensegmente in Sandwichbauweise sind der Rotorblattschale von WEA im Hinblick auf die Strukturmechanik, die eingesetzten Halbzeuge, den Laminataufbau und dem eingesetzten Fertigungsverfahren ähnlich. Als Imperfektionen wurden verschiedenen Variationen von Lagenstößen in die Hautlagen und Schaumstöße mit Breitenvariation in den Stützkern reproduzierbar eingebracht. Die Überwachung des Schädigungszustandes während der Schwingversuche unter realistischen Lastszenarien erfolgt über eine kombinierte in situ Schädigungsüberwachung mittels passiver Thermografie und Felddehnungsmessung.
Mit den durchgeführten Schwingversuchen und der begleitenden Überwachung des Schädigungszustandes ließen sich die Schadensinitiation und die signifikante Herabsetzung der Lebensdauer durch die eingebrachten Imperfektionen zweifelsfrei nachweisen und entsprechende Konstruktionshinweise für die betriebssichere Auslegung von Sandwichstrukturen ableiten.
Biopolymers are very efficient for significant applications ranging from tissue engineering, biological devices to water purification. There is a tremendous potential value of cellulose because of ist being the most abundant biopolymer on earth, swellability, and functional groups to be modified. A novel, highly efficient route for the fabrication of mechanically stable and natural hydrogels is described in which cellulose and glycine are dissolved in an alkaline solution of NaOH and neutralized in an acidic solution. The dissolving temperature and the glycine amount are essential parameters for the self-assembly of cellulose chains and for Tuning the morphology and the aggregate structures of the resulting hydrogels. Glycine plays the role of a physical crosslinker based on the Information obtained from FTIR and Raman spectra. Among the prepared set of hydrogels, CL5Gly30 hydrogels have the highest capacity to absorb water. The prepared CL5Gly30 gels can absorb up to seven times their dry weight due to its porous 3-D network structure. CL5Gly10 hydrogel exhibits 80% deformation under 21 N force executed. The method developed in this article can contribute to the application of heavy metal adsorption in aqueous solutions for water purification and waste management.
Die Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) ist eine Ressortforschungseinrichtung, die zum Schutz von Mensch, Umwelt und Sachgüter, forscht, prüft und berät. Im Fokus aller Tätigkeiten in der Materialwissenschaft, der Werkstofftechnik und der Chemie steht dabei die technische Sicherheit von Produkten und Prozessen. Dazu werden Substanzen, Werkstoffe, Bauteile, Komponenten und Anlagen sowie natürliche und technische Systeme erforscht und auf sicheren Umgang oder Betrieb geprüft und bewertet. Schwerpunkt des Vortrages sind multimodale Polymeranalytik, nanoskalige Sensormaterialien und die Charakterisierung von technischen Eigenschaften von Polymeren sowie ihre Alterung und Umweltrelevanz.
The increasing pollution of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems with plastic debris leads to the accumulation of microscopic plastic particles of still unknown amount. To monitor the degree of contamination analytical methods are urgently needed, which help to quantify microplastics (MP). Currently, time-costly purified materials enriched on filters are investigated both by micro-infrared spectroscopy and/or micro-Raman. Although yielding precise results, these techniques are time consuming, and are restricted to the analysis of a small part of the sample in the order of few micrograms. To overcome these problems, here we tested a macroscopic dimensioned NIR process-spectroscopic method in combination with chemometrics. For calibration, artificial MP/soil mixtures containing defined ratios of polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, and polystyrene with diameters < 125 µm were prepared and measured by a process FT-NIR spectrometer equipped with a fiber optic reflection probe. The resulting spectra were processed by chemometric models including support vector machine regression (SVR), and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Validation of models by MP mixtures, MP-free soils and real-world samples, e.g. and fermenter residue, suggest a reliable detection and a possible classification of MP at levels above 0.5 to 1.0 mass% depending on the polymer. The benefit of the combined NIRS chemometric approach lies in the rapid assessment whether soil contains MP, without any chemical pre-treatment. The method can be used with larger sample volumes and even allows for an online prediction and thus meets the demand of a high-throughput method.
High-performance fibre-reinforced polymer composites are important construction materials based not only on the specific properties of the reinforcing fibres and the flexible polymer Matrix but also on the compatible properties of the composite interphase. First, oxygen-free (a-CSi:H) and oxygen-binding (a-CSiO:H) plasma nanocoatings of different mechanical and tribological properties were deposited on planar silicon dioxide substrates that closely mimic E-glass. The nanoscratch test was used to characterize the nanocoating adhesion expressed in terms of critical normal load and work of adhesion. Next, the same nanocoatings were deposited on E-glass fibres, which were used as reinforcements in the polyester composite to affect its interphase properties. The shear properties of the polymer composite were characterized by macro- and micromechanical tests, namely a short beam shear test to determine the short-beam strength and a single fibre push-out test to determine the interfacial shear strength. The results of the polymer composites showed a strong correlation between the short-beam strength and the interfacial shear strength, proving that both tests are sensitive to changes in fibre-matrix adhesion due to different surface modifications of glass fibres (GF).
Finally, a strong correlation between the shear properties of the GF/polyester composite and the adhesion of the plasma nanocoating expressed through the work of adhesion was demonstrated.
Thus, increasing the work of adhesion of plasma nanocoatings from 0.8 to 1.5 mJ·m−2 increased the short-beam strength from 23.1 to 45.2 MPa. The results confirmed that the work of adhesion is a more suitable parameter in characterising the level of nanocoating adhesion in comparison with the critical normal load.
Die Bereitstellung von zuverlässigen Werkstoffdaten stand für die Werkstoffprüfung seit dem 19. Jahrhundert in zentraler Stelle. Mit der zunehmender Digitalisierung unserer Gesellschaft gewinnt das Datenmanagement insbesondere im Hinblick auf die Modellierungs- und Simulationsaktivitäten an Bedeutung.
In unserem Beitrag beschreiben wir die gegenwärtigen Aktivitäten in Deutschland – insbesondere die NFDI-MatWerk und die BMBF-Initiative MaterialDigital – sowie in Europa und Übersee. Abschließend heben wir die Auswirkungen auf die technische und akademische Aus- und Weiterbildung.
The mechanical behavior of fiber reinforced composites with polymer matrix is governed by several mechanisms operating at different length scales. In this contribution we describe first non-destructive techniques which are adequate for the characterization of the fiber-matrix interphase at a microscopic level. In a second step we describe on a mesoscopic level the influence of manufacturing related elements on the mechanical properties of rotor blades for wind turbines. We concentrate on thermography, laminography and ultrasound in connection with mechanical testing systems. Finally we present methods for monitoring rotor blades by using embedded optical fibers.
The hydrogen tightness of high-pressure hydrogen storage is a Basic criterion for long-term storage. The H2 permeation coefficients of epoxy resin and a glass lacquer were determined to enable the geometric optimization of a glass capillary storage. It was found that the curing conditions have no significant influence on the H2 permeation coefficient of resin.
The H2 permeation coefficient of epoxy resin is only about three orders of Magnitude greater than that of borosilicate glass. This suggests that the initial pressure of 700 bar takes about 2.5 years to be halved in capillary array storage. Therefore, a high-pressure hydrogen storage tank based on glass capillaries is ideally suited for long-term storage in mobile applications.
Manufacturing and deformation behavior of alumina and zirconia helical springs at room temperature
(2023)
Ceramic helical springs with identical dimensions were produced by hard machining from alumina, alumina toughened zirconia (ATZ), and tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (TZP) stabilized with different oxides. According to the results of the spring constant determination under deformation rates of 3 mm/min, the deformation behavior of all ceramic springs obeys to Hook’s law. However, variation of the deformation rate, tests under constant load, and spring recovery behavior revealed differences in the deformation behavior of alumina, TZP, and ATZ springs. Alumina springs exhibited time-independent deformation in all tests. In contrast, anelastic deformation at room temperature was demonstrated in all springs containing TZP. This deformation is completely reversible over a period of several days. Anelastic behavior is particularly pronounced in Y-TZP springs, whereas Ce-TZP springs exhibit comparatively very low but still reliably detectable anelasticity. Oxygen vacancies in the TZP ceramic are considered the most likely explanation for the anelastic behavior of TZP springs at room temperature.
Helical springs with a rectangular cross-section have been machined from sintered and grinded hollow cylinders with high geometrical precision and good reproducibility. Such springs made from tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (TZP) ceramic show excellent edge quality because of high fracture toughness and bending strength of the starting material. Hence, springs with desired geometric dimension and tailored spring constant can be manufactured for highly demanding applications at high temperatures and in harsh environments.
Prior to any practical use, application limits of springs under mechanical and thermal load have to be analyzed. Therefore, different displacement experiments were carried out on the helical TZP springs.
- Dynamic displacement tests at various temperatures from -15°C to +60°C using a piezo actor to load/unload springs with frequencies between 1 and 40 Hz: Springs remained undamaged and the spring constants were not altered, even after more than one million cycles of compression loading.
- Long-time displacement measurements under static tensile loading at room temperature with a high-precision interferometer test facility: Significant spring elongation under constant strain was surprisingly proved over a period of many hours already at room temperature.
- Creeping experiments for 48 h under static compression load at different temperatures up to 1000 °C: After cooling down and load removing no permanent length reduction of springs was observed for test temperatures up to 700 °C. However, reshaping of TZP springs by plastic deformation is possible at higher temperatures and opens up additional possibilities for spring design and manufacturing.
At high temperatures and in harsh environments ceramic springs are often superior to metallic springs and allow for innovative solutions. A recently proposed application involves ceramic springs with metallized surfaces as capacitive force sensor. A strictly linear stress-strain characteristic of the spring is a precondition for such a sensor.
Helical ceramic springs with rectangular cross-section have been produced from sintered hollow cylinders. Alumina, ATZ, Y-TZP, and Ce-TZP springs with identical dimensions were characterized and compared regarding deformation behavior.
Spring deformation was investigated under various load scenarios.
Dynamic compression was performed with deformation speeds from 0.3 to 30 mm/min. Spring constants of alumina springs are strain rate independent. By contrast, Y-TZP spring constant increases by approximately 3 % within the experimental framework.
A high-precision test facility was developed to characterize spring displacement in nm range under static tensile load over long periods of time. Spring elongation with asymptotic course was observed for zirconia containing materials at room temperature. This effect is particularly strong in the case of Y-TZP. Up to 0.3 % time-dependent elongation was measured after 24 h under constant load. Deformation is completely reversible after unloading. Alumina springs do not show any time-dependent deformation under identical test conditions.
Contrary to alumina springs, a non-linear stress-strain behavior of TZP springs at room temperature was proved in both test series. It is supposed, that pseudo-elasticity caused by stress-induced phase transformation from tetragonal to monoclinic is responsible for this special behavior of TZP springs.
Assessing the structural integrity of carbon-fibre sandwich panels in fire: Bench-scale approach
(2019)
The fire resistance of lightweight sandwich panels (SW) with carbon fibre/epoxy skins and a poly(methacryl imide) (PMI) foam core is investigated in compression under direct application of a severe flame (heat flux=200 kW m−2). A bench-scale test procedure was used, with the sample held vertically. The epoxy decomposition temperature was quickly exceeded, with rapid flash-over and progressive core softening and decomposition.
There is a change in failure mode depending on whether the load is greater or less than 50% of the unexposed failure load, or in other words if one or two skins carry the load. At high loads, failure involved both skins with a single clear linear separation across each face. There is an inflection in the failure time relationship in the ∼50% load region, corresponding to the time taken for heat to be transmitted to the rear face, along with a change in the rear skin failure mode from separation to the formation of a plastic hinge. The integrity of the carbon front face, even with the resin burnt out, and the low thermal diffusivity of the core, both play key roles in prolonging rear face integrity, something to be borne in mind for future panel design. Intumescent coatings prolong the period before failure occurs. The ratio of times to failure with and without protection is proposed as a measure of their effectiveness. Apart from insulation properties, their adhesion and stability under severe fire impact play a key role.
Polyethylen hoher Dichte (PE-HD) wird als Werkstoff für Rohre und Behälter für den Transport und zur Lagerung von Gefahrgütern verwendet. Für die Beurteilung und technische Freigabe dieser Materialien ist insbesondere das Verständnis des Schädigungsmechanismus des langsamen, umgebungsbedingten Spannungsrisses (engl.: „environmental stress cracking“, ESC) essentiell. ESC tritt bei relativ geringen auf einen Werkstoff einwirkenden mechanischen Spannungen auf. An lokalen Fehlstellen (z.B. Defekte, Inhomogenitäten, Kerben) beginnend wächst ein Riss langsam durch das Material und führt nach gewisser Zeit zu einem charakteristischen, pseudo-spröden Bruch. Dabei wird das Risswachstum durch äußere Medieneinwirkung zusätzlich entscheidend beeinflusst. Dieses langsame Risswachstum wird als Hauptursache für das plötzliche und unerwartete Versagen von Polymerwerkstoffen angesehen.
Eine etablierte Prüfmethode zur Bewertung des Materialverhaltens gegenüber dieses Schädigungsmechanismus ist der Full-Notch Creep Test (FNCT), der für PE-HD Behältermaterialien üblicherweise unter Verwendung von wässrigen Netzmittellösungen (Arkopal N 100) durchgeführt wird. Die aus dem FNCT erhaltene Standzeit dient dabei als Bewertungskriterium für verschiedene PE-HD-Werkstoffe. In einer Studie wurden neben einer typischen Arkopal-N-100-Netzmittellösung praktisch relevante, organische Flüssigkeiten wie Biodiesel und Diesel als Testmedien verwendet, um deren Einfluss auf das ESC-Verhalten von PE-HD-Behältermaterialien zu charakterisieren. Neben der klassischen Standzeit-Auswertung erfolgte eine erweiterte Bruchflächenanalyse mittels Licht- (LM), Laserscanning- (LSM) und Rasterelektronenmikroskopie (REM). Insbesondere die LSM erlaubt eine schnelle und einfache Unterscheidung pseudo-spröder und duktiler Bruchbilder, die zur Beurteilung der Repräsentativität des FNCT für das dem Spannungsriss zugrundeliegenden langsamen Risswachstum von Bedeutung ist.
As the well-known damage mechanisms slow crack growth (SCG) and environmental stress cracking (ESC) are the major causes for possible failure of polyolefin-based materials, especially for PE-HD, they are highly relevant and need to be considered thoroughly. Furthermore, due to slight but perceptible differences in damaging effect, a differentiation between SCG and ESC is expedient. SCG appears in “inert” or “neutral” media without a decisive influence of the surrounding medium whereas ESC occurs in “active” media, which influence the failure behavior and time to failure crucially.
To characterize the inherent resistance of the material against those damage mechanisms, the well-established Full-Notch Creep Test (FNCT) is used. In this study, the FNCT – usually applied according to ISO 16770 [3] using a few universal model liquid media and mainly for pipe materials – is extended by investigations with appropriate parameters of selected relevant PE-HD container materials also in real media, such as the topical fuels diesel and biodiesel. The investigations were performed using a novel FNCT-device with 12 individual sub-stations, each equipped with individual electronic stress and temperature control and continuous online monitoring of the specimen elongation.
Especially, mechanical stress and temperature were varied systematically during FNCT and time to failure values, time-dependent elongation data as well as detailed fracture surface analysis by laser scanning microscopy (LSM) were combined for the first time (Fig. 1). Particularly, the fracture surface analysis provides a sound basis to characterize failure behavior, mainly regarding the balance between brittle crack propagation and ductile deformation. Therefore, fracture surface analysis is an essential tool for a decent assessment of SCG and ESC by FNCT measurements.
During their lifetime, polymer components subjected to mechanical loads and environmental influences show a loss of their mechanical properties required for their specific applications. In this respect, the craze-crack damage mechanism slow crack growth (SCG) is relevant for PE-HD components used in high-performance applications such as pipes and containers for the storage and transport of dangerous goods. SCG is considered to be the major failure mechanism in polyolefins and it typically occurs suddenly and unexpectedly. Due to the fields of application, SCG is a safety relevant issue. To test for the resistance of PE-HD pipe and container materials against SCG, the full-notch creep test (FNCT) is widely applied in Europe. In this study, SCG phenomena in PE-HD are investigated in detail based on an improved FNCT, especially including the consideration of the influence of environmental liquids effecting the damage mechanism. Using an enhanced fracture surface and a crack propagation analysis with imaging techniques such as light microscopy (LM), laser scanning microscopy (LSM), X-ray computed tomography (CT-scan) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), detailed data concerning SCG are obtained.
The combined application of FNCT and such imaging techniques is explicitly advantageous and recommended to gain important information on damage occurring to PE-HD induced by mechanical stress and the influence of environmental liquids, which is essential within the Fourth Industry Revolution.
The full-notch creep test (FNCT) is a common method to evaluate the environmental stress cracking (ESC) behavior of high-density polyethylene (PE-HD) container materials . The test procedure as specified in ISO 16770 provides a comparative measure of the resistance against ESC using the time to failure of specimens mechanically loaded in a well-defined liquid environment. Since the craze-crack damage mechanism underlying the ESC process is associated with brittle failure, the occurrence of globally brittle fracture surfaces is a prerequisite to consider an FNCT measurement as representative for ESC . Therefore, an optical evaluation of FNCT fracture surfaces concerning their brittleness is essential. Due to the experimental setup, an inevitable increase of the true mechanical stress and the associated appearance of small ductile parts on fracture surfaces is induced in any case. Hence, an FNCT experiment is considered as 'valid', if the corresponding fracture surface is predominantly brittle . Based on laser scanning microscopy (LSM) height data of FNCT fracture surfaces , a universal and easy-to-use phenomenological criterion was developed to assess the validity of distinct FNCT experiments. This criterion is supposed to facilitate a quick evaluation of FNCT results in practical routine testing.
Environmental Stress Cracking (ESC) and Slow Crack Growth (SCG) of PE-HD induced by external fluids
(2020)
High-density polyethylene (PE-HD) is widely used as a packaging material. Typical applications are pipes and containers for storage and transport of dangerous goods. For these applications, the understanding of the craze-crack damage mechanisms slow crack growth (SCG) and environmental stress cracking (ESC) is of importance. Since these mechanisms are considered to be the major causes of failure, their understanding is essential for inspection and release of those materials.
A well-established test method for the assessment of these damage mechanisms is the full-notch creep test (FNCT). It is used in this study for a detailed investigation of crack propagation phenomena in PE-HD container materials under the influence of different fluids such as air, water and aqueous detergent solutions (Arkopal N 100) as well as biodiesel and diesel. Based on the results of the FNCT, a classification scheme of different fluids is proposed, which allows for an assignment of the respective damage mechanisms. Hereby, it is differentiated between (i) inert, (ii) purely surface-active and (iii) additionally sorptive, bulk-active fluids with respect to SCG. If the test fluid changes the intrinsic properties (at the surface or in the bulk), the damage mechanism is addressed to ESC behavior.
In FNCT investigations, stress, temperature and specimen geometry were varied systematically. In addition to the time to failure as common measure for the resistance of a PE-HD type against crack propagation, specimen elongation was considered in detail.
Several imaging techniques were applied for fracture surface analysis of specimens tested in FNCT to gain novel information on SCG and ESC behavior. From height profiles obtained by laser scanning microscopy (LSM) and information on surface structures from scanning electron microscopy (SEM), indicators for the differentiation of the crack propagation mechanisms could be derived. Based on the LSM data, an algorithm for the distinction between ductile shear deformation and brittle crack growth as dominating failure mechanism was developed. Imaging techniques were also used for determination of crack propagation rates, which were related to time-resolved FNCT elongation data. From the time-resolved determination of crack lengths of partly damaged FNCT specimens, an increasing length of craze zone with a progressively propagating crack was revealed for the first time. This relation of crack and craze zones was specified by fracture mechanical considerations.
This is the stable version of the full-notch creep test ontology (OntoFNCT) that ontologically represents the full-notch creep test. OntoFNCT has been developed in accordance with the corresponding test standard ISO 16770:2019-09 Plastics - Determination of environmental stress cracking (ESC) of polyethylene - Full-notch creep test (FNCT).
The OntoFNCT provides conceptualizations that are supposed to be valid for the description of full-notch creep tests and associated data in accordance with the corresponding test standard. By using OntoFNCT for storing full-notch creep test data, all data will be well structured and based on a common vocabulary agreed on by an expert group (generation of FAIR data) which is meant to lead to enhanced data interoperability. This comprises several data categories such as primary data, secondary data and metadata. Data will be human and machine readable. The usage of OntoFNCT facilitates data retrieval and downstream usage. Due to a close connection to the mid-level PMD core ontology (PMDco), the interoperability of full-notch creep test data is enhanced and querying in combination with other aspects and data within the broad field of materials science and engineering (MSE) is facilitated.
The class structure of OntoFNCT forms a comprehensible and semantic layer for unified storage of data generated in a full-notch creep test including the possibility to record data from analysis and re-evaluation. Furthermore, extensive metadata allows to assess data quality and reliability. Following the open world assumption, object properties are deliberately low restrictive and sparse.
The dataset provided in this repository comprises data obtained from a series of full-notch creep tests (FNCT) performed on selected high-density polyethylene (PE-HD) materials (for further details, see section 1 Materials in this document) in accordance with the corresponding standard ISO 16770.
The FNCT is one of the mechanical testing procedures used to characterize polymer materials with respect to their environmental stress cracking (ESC) behavior. It is widely applied for PE-HD materials, that are predominantly used for pipe and container applications. It is based on the determination of the time to failure for a test specimen under constant mechanical load in a well-defined and temperature controlled liquid environment. The test device used here also allows for continuous monitoring of applied force, specimen elongation and temperature.
Different imaging techniques were employed to monitor Full Notch Creep Test (FNCT) experiments addressing environmental stress cracking in more detail. The FNCT is a well-established test method to assess slow crack growth and environmental stress cracking of polymer materials, especially polyethylene. The standard test procedure, as specified in ISO 16770, provides a simple comparative measure of the resistance to crack growth of a certain material based on the overall time to failure when loaded with a well-defined mechanical stress and immersed in a liquid medium promoting crack propagation.
Destructive techniques which require a direct view on the free fracture surface, such as light microscopy and laser scanning microscopy, are compared to non-destructive techniques, i.e. scanning acoustic microscopy and xray micro computed tomography. All methods allow the determination of an effective crack length. Based on a series of FNCT specimens progressively damaged for varied Durations under standard test conditions, the estimation of crack propagation rates is also enabled. Despite systematic deviations related to the respective Imaging techniques, this nevertheless provides a valuable tool for the detailed evaluation of the FNCT and its further development.
A phenomenological criterion for an optical assessment of PE-HD fracture surfaces obtained from FNCT
(2021)
The full-notch creep test (FNCT) is a common test method to evaluate the environmental stress cracking (ESC) behavior of high-density polyethylene (PE-HD), e.g. for container materials. The test procedure as specified in ISO 16770 provides a comparative measure of the resistance against ESC using the time to failure of PE-HD specimens under constant mechanical load in a well-defined liquid test environment. Since the craze-crack damage mechanism underlying the ESC phenomenon is associated with brittle failure, the occurrence of a predominantly brittle fracture surface is a prerequisite to consider an FNCT measurement as representative for ESC, i.e. a time to failure dominated by craze-crack propagation.
The craze-crack propagation continuously reduces the effective residual cross-sectional area of the specimen during the test, which results in a corresponding increase of the effective mechanical stress. Thus, a transition to ductile shear deformation is inevitable at later stages of the test, leading usually to a pronounced central ligament.
Therefore, an optical evaluation of FNCT fracture surfaces concerning their brittleness is essential. An enhanced imaging analysis of FNCT fracture surfaces enables a detailed assessment of craze-crack Propagation during ESC. In this study, laser scanning microscopy (LSM) was employed to evaluate whether FNCT fracture surfaces are representative with respect to craze-crack propagation and ESC. Based on LSM height data, a phenomenological criterion is proposed to assess the validity of distinct FNCT measurements. This criterion is
supposed to facilitate a quick evaluation of FNCT results in practical routine testing. Its applicability is verified on a sample basis for seven different commercial PE-HD container materials.
Modern wind turbine rotor blades consist of sandwich shell segments made from glass fiber reinforced polymers. During manufacturing, defects can arise which could lead to failure of the whole component under dynamic mechanical and thermal loads. Hence during operation defects can arise which, if detected, can be repaired locally and in-situ by applying repair patches instead of taking the whole rotor blade down and repair it remotely. This method is much more time and cost effective, since the shut-down time of the energy converter is limited to a minimum. These repair patches can, however, also lead to new defects if not applied optimally. Therefore, it is necessary to control the quality of the repair patches to ensure the best possible restoration of structural integrity of the component. As a rotor blade is an object with a large aspect ratio, X-ray laminography is predestined to provide 3D information of the objective volume. To enhance the amount of information gained from laminographic reconstruction, we use in this study a photon counting and energy discriminating X-ray detector and apply a material decomposition algorithm to the data. By inherently separating the incident spectra within the detection process into two distinct energy bins, the basis material decomposition can provide material resolved images. Choosing glass and epoxy resin as basis materials and numerically solving the inverse dual-energy equation system, the reconstructed laminographic datasets contain highly valuable information about the distribution of the basis materials within the structure. Furthermore, cross- artifacts arising from the limited angle of the projection data can be reduced by this method which allows to investigate structures that were hidden underneath the artefacts.
Modern wind turbine rotor blades consist of sandwich shell segments made from glass fiber reinforced polymers. During manufacturing, defects can arise which could lead to failure of the whole component under dynamic mechanical and thermal loads. Hence during operation defects can arise which, if detected, can be repaired locally and in-situ by applying repair patches instead of taking the whole rotor blade down and repair it remotely. This method is much more time and cost effective, since the shut-down time of the energy converter is limited to a minimum. These repair patches can, however, also lead to new defects if not applied optimally. Therefore, it is necessary to control the quality of the repair patches to ensure the best possible restoration of structural integrity of the component. As a rotor blade is an object with a large aspect ratio, X-ray laminography is predestined to provide 3D information of the objective volume. To enhance the amount of information gained from laminographic reconstruction, we use in this study a photon counting and energy discriminating X-ray detector and apply a material decomposition algorithm to the data. By inherently separating the incident spectra within the detection process into two distinct energy bins, the basis material decomposition can provide material resolved images. Choosing glass and epoxy resin as basis materials and numerically solving the inverse dual-energy equation system, the reconstructed laminographic datasets contain highly valuable information about the distribution of the basis materials within the structure. Furthermore, cross- artifacts arising from the limited angle of the projection data can be reduced by this method which allows to investigate structures that were hidden underneath the artefacts.
The longitudinal and transverse strength of three unidirectional thermoplastic prepreg systems: carbon fiber/polypropylene (CF/PP), polyamide 6 (CF/PA6), and polyphenylene sulfide (CF/PPS) are studied and analytical formulas are proposed for the estimation of matrix and fiber/matrix interface properties from composites properties. Since the matrices are semi-crystalline thermoplastics, the influence of cooling rate on the strength is statistically evaluated. While the 0° tensile strength is found to be independent of the cooling rate, the 90° tensile strength is strongly influenced by the matrix type and cooling rate. The matrix modulus increases as the cooling rate is decreased; the degree of crystallinity also increases. The matrix residual stress, interfacial shear strength, and mode II interlaminar fracture toughness are also found to depend on the cooling rate, with the trends different for different matrices.