Acoustic emission characteristics of micro-failure processes in polymer blends and composites

Acoustic emission (AE) characteristics of micro-failure processes in HDPE/PP blends with and without compatibilizer, single-fibre composites (glass/epoxy, carbon/epoxy, glass/polycarbonate) and unidirectionally reinforced multi-fibre composites (glass/polypropylene) were studied. For blends, the number and the elastic fracture energy release of micro-failure processes are theoretically approximated and correlated with the number of AE signals and the AE energy. A qualitative correlation of the mechanical energy released from fibre/matrix debonding and fibre-fracture processes in single-fibre pull-out experiments with the measured AE energy is demonstrated. For the single-fibre fragmentation of glass fibres and carbon fibres, a quantitative approximation of the AE amplitudes at locations of the fragmentation sources is achieved. A new method for the selection of single transient acoustic emissions and the classification of failure mechanisms in composites is introduced. Selected emissions are classified into matrix cracking, fibre breakage and interface processes (fibre/matrix debonding or fibre pull-out) from their total power in defined frequency intervals of the spectral power density. A fracture-mechanics investigation of the delamination behaviour of unidirectional composites accompanied by AE examinations is discussed. The extension of the damage zone around the crack tip is quantified by the location of AE events and compared with the theoretically approximated dimensions. The size of the damage zone is used for theoretical calculations of the mechanical energy release from micro-failure processes. A correlation of the AE energy-release rates with the mechanical energy-release rates from participated failure mechanisms like matrix cacking, fibre/matrix debonding and fibre breakage is presented.