Fracture behavior and crack sensing capability of bonded carbon fiber composite joints with carbon nanotube-based polymer adhesive layer under Mode I loading

This paper presents a study on the Mode I fracture behavior and crack monitoring of bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite joints with carbon nanotube (CNT)-based polymer adhesive layer. Bonded joints were fabricated using woven carbon/epoxy composite substrates and CNT-based epoxy adhesives. Mode I fracture tests were carried out with double cantilever beam (DCB) bonded joint specimens, and the dependence of the critical energy release rate at the onset of crack growth, i.e., fracture toughness, on the nanotube content in the adhesive layer and the adhesive layer thickness was examined. The electrical resistance of the bonded joint specimens was monitored during the tests. An analytical model based on the electrical conduction mechanism of CNT-based polymers was also employed to describe the electrical resistance change due to crack propagation in the bonded joint specimens, and a good correlation was obtained between the predicted and measured results. The electrical resistance change is found to result in quantitative assessment of crack length based on resistance measurement. It is demonstrated that the bonded CFRP composite joints with CNT-based polymer adhesive layer have improved fracture properties together with crack sensing capability.