The effect of fibre-content gradient on the mechanical properties of glass-fibre-mat/polypropylene composites

Abstract

content. Flexural and impact tests were carried out to investigate the effect of these fibre distributions on the load-direction- dependent mechanical properties of the composites. Isotropic composites with uniform fibre content distribution through the specimen thickness were also prepared for comparison with the spatially-graded composite. When the face of a sample with high glass fibre content was loaded, the ¯exural strength and the impact energy of the composite showed improved values by comparison with those of the isotropic composite. On the other hand, poor ¯exural strength and impact energy were observed when the face of the sample with low fibre content was loaded. Finite-element analysis was performed to investigate the stress/strain distribution of the deformed model structure with the variation of moduli through the thickness. Despite having the same fibre content, the glass-fibre- mat/PP composites could have the characteristic mechanical properties with different spatial distributions of fibre content.