Mechanical properties of woven laminates and felt composites using carbon fibers. Part 1: in-plane properties

In-plane tensile and compressive properties of epoxy resin matrix composites reinforced with carbon fiber woven fabrics and carbon fiber felts have been compared and the influences of weave pattern and needle-punching density have been investigated. The tensile and compressive strengths of the woven laminates were derived as increasing functions of the radius of curvature of yarns, and the resulting equations well represented the measured values. The strengths of the felt/resin composites were influenced by needle-punching density as well as the weave pattern of base fabrics. Although the felt/resin composites showed lower strengths than the woven laminates, the felt reinforcement had the advantage of improving interlaminar properties as will be shown in a succeeding paper [Compos. Sci. Technol., submitted]. The compressive strength of the felt reinforced composites utilizing more brittle carbon matrix has also been investigated.