Short Beam Testing of Composite

Laminates with and without SWCNTs

Ryan Sager
Daniel Ayewah
Summary

Fibrous composites offer outstanding material properties and adaptability for use in the
aerospace industry. With the discovery of carbon nanotubes, the prospect of enhancing
existing mechanical and thermal properties of composite materials has led to a massive
effort to understand the effects nanotubes have on existing materials. An important
material property associated with composite laminates is the interlaminar shear strength.
This property relates the amount of shear stress a specific material will handle before
individual plies fail in shear. Because carbon nanotubes have exceptional stiffness and
tensile strength, it is proposed that adding them to the fiber-matrix interface of composite
laminates will enhance material shear strength properties.

After receiving two composite plates made of T650/Epon 862/W carbon fiber/epoxy, one
12-ply material with Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) sprayed along the
midplane and the other, 12-ply material without SWCNTs, the Texas A&M University
Nanotechnology Research Group decided to test the effect SWCNTs have on the
interfacial shear strength of composite laminates. The short beam shear test described by
the American Society of Testing and Materials [1] offers an easy and repeatable method
for testing the apparent interlaminar shear strength of composite materials and was
performed on 5 specimens of each material.

Results for the testing revealed anticipated load-displacement curves resulting in
interlaminar failure of each specimen. The specimens without SWCNTs produced
slightly higher average short beam shear strength of 57.158 MPa with a coefficient of
variation of 1.223% and failed in shear along the specimen midplanes. The specimens
with SWCNTs produced slightly lower average short beam shear strength of 56.680 MPa
with a coefficient of variation of 1.378% and failed in shear along two ply interfaces
neighboring the midplane.

Although the specimens without SWCNTs produced slightly higher short beam strength
values, the difference was less than 1% and is insignificant. In previous testing, results
were obtained which indicated that SWCNT-infused specimens failed in shear away from
the nanotube coated midplane whereas blank specimens failed in shear along the
midplane. This suggested that the nanotubes created a strengthening effect in shear.
However, results obtained from this test reveal no difference in failure between SWCNT
specimens and blank specimens. Both failed in shear slightly above and below the
midplane. It is recommended that additional short beam shear testing be performed on
existing material and that other testing such as the double-cantilever test or additional
short beam shear tests be performed on future materials.
Introduction

Over the course of two months, short beam shear testing was performed on composite
laminates at Texas A&M University. The composite plates used in the testing were
created by Grace Rojas at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Dayton Ohio during the
summer of 2005. One plate was sprayed with 0.05 wt% SWCNTs in the midplane. The
other plate was blank to serve as a control. Both plates were made of made of T650/Epon
862/W laid up in 12 plies of woven 0/90 fabric. Each was roughly 4.6 mm thick.
Specimens were cut in accordance with ASTM D 2344/D 2344M standards using a
diamond saw and then polished with a 1 m polishing compound.

Figure 1 and Figure 2 describe the specimen configuration and loading for the short beam
shear test. Based on ASTM standards, the specimen length is 6 times the specimen
thickness and the span length is 4 times the specimen thickness. The width of the
specimen is 2 times the specimen thickness [1].



Figure 1 Specimen configuration (dimensions in mm)

Figure 2 Short beam shear test loading configuration (ASTM D2344/D2344M-00, Standard Test Method for
Short-Beam Strength of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials and Their Laminates, ASTM International.)

Loading heads were placed 18.4 mm apart for the blank and nano-infused specimens.
Tests were run using the MTS 100 kip hydraulic testing frame at the Texas A&M
University Active Materials and Structural Laboratory and load measurements were made
using a Transducer Techniques 2000 lb load cell. Load was applied at a rate of 0.5
mm/min.

Test Procedure

Test specimens were placed on the two 3.0 mm diameter supports, with care taken to
align the center of the specimen in the center of the span. Loading supports were free to
rotate, allowing free lateral motion of the specimen. Load was applied in the center of
the specimen at the rate described above through the use of a 6.0 mm diameter steel
dowel. The beam was loaded until fracture, and the fracture load was taken as a measure
of the apparent shear strength of the material. Displacement was measured from the
relative movement of the loading head through the use of the integrated MTS linear
displacement gauge. The test set-up can be seen in Figure 3 below.


Figure 3 Short beam test set-up

Displacement and load data were automatically logged by computer through the use of
the MTS TestStar software package. A predicted load-displacement curve was observed
for each specimen. As load was applied, a linear deflection response was observed until
a maximum load was achieved. At this point, the applied force drops dramatically
indicating the specimen has failed. This maximum load was taken as a measure of the
apparent shear strength of each specimen. Five specimens of each configuration were
tested. Short beam shear strength was calculated for each specimen based on the formula
[1]:
F
sbs
= 0.75 X P
m
/ (b X h)
where:
F
sbs
= short-beam strength, MPa
P
m
= maximum load observed during the test, N
b = measured specimen width, mm
h = measured specimen thickness, mm
Test Results and Discussion

Figure 4 and Figure 5 describe the results obtained during testing. The load-deflection
curves obtained for each of the tested specimens demonstrate good repeatability and
correspondence between each test. The 12-ply blank specimens resulted in an average
maximum load of 3294 N, with a standard deviation of 71.7 N and a coefficient of
variation of 2.2%. The average short beam strength was 57.4 MPa with a standard
deviation of 0.8 MPa and a coefficient of variation of 1.4%. This represents acceptable
data correlation within the test.

The 12-ply specimens exhibited ideal brittle failure modes during their tests. A linear
slope on the load-displacement curve followed by a sharp decrease in load represents the
interlaminar shear failure desired during these tests. The average maximum load for the
12-ply nanotube-infused specimens was 3257 N with a standard deviation of 35.5 N and
a coefficient of variation of 1.1%. The average short beam strength for the 12-ply
specimens was 56.2 MPa, with a standard deviation of 1.2 MPa and a coefficient of
variation of 1.7%, resulting in a difference in strength between the SWCNT and blank
specimens of 0.8%.

Short Beam Test Results for 12-ply Blank Composite Laminate
-500
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8
Displacement (mm)
F
o
r
c
e

(
N
)
Test 1
Test 2
Test 3
Test 4
Test 5

Specimen # Maximum Load (N)
Short Beam
Strength (Mpa)
1 3185.456 56.8
2 3287.962 56.6
3 3279.831 57.2
4 3348.029 58.0
5 3369.000 58.5
Average 3294.056 57.4
S.D. 71.7 0.8
C.V. (%) 2.2 1.4

Figure 4 Results for short beam shear test of blank specimens

Short Beam Test Results for Composite Laminate w/ SWCNTs
-500
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8
Displacement (mm)
F
o
r
c
e

(
N
)
Specimen 1
Specimen 2
Specimen 3
Specimen 4
Specimen 5

Specimen # Maximum Load (N)
Short Beam
Strength (Mpa)
1 3061.157 56.2
2 3097.638 56.2
3 3372.381 57.8
4 3298.279 56.4
5 2912.309 56.4
Average 3148.353 56.6
S.D. 186.1 0.7
C.V. (%) 5.9 1.2

Figure 5 Results for short beam shear test of SWCNT-infused specimens

Microscopic analysis of the failed specimens reveals interesting results. In previous
testing performed at Texas A&M by the authors, blank specimens of the same material as
that discussed in this test failed in shear along the midplane. This was the expected
failure as the maximum shear force should be experienced along the midplane. However,
in the current set of tests, evidence of midplane shear failure could not be found in the
blank specimens tested. Instead, shear failure occurred directly above (top surface of ply
6) the midplane. Figure 6 illustrates the failure mode of the blank specimens used in the
test. Failure is clearly evident on the top surface of the 6
th
ply whereas there is no
cracking present along the midplane.

Figure 6 Failure mode of blank specimen
Forty-five degree cracks are also prevalent throughout the specimen. This can be
explained as tensile failure from the principal stresses associated with near-pure shear.
When a combination of stresses is present, principal stresses result at a given angle
according to the following formulas:








Pure shear results in a
p
of 45 degrees.

Figure 7 illustrates the failure mode for the 12-ply SWCNT-infused specimens.
Interlaminar shear failure is evident throughout the specimen; however failure did not
occur at the midplane. Instead, interfacial shear failure occurred above and below the
midplane.


Figure 7 Failure mode of SWCNT specimen



Conclusions and Recommendations

The preceding tests demonstrated very good repeatability and data correlation between
individual specimens. Shear failure modes were also observed as expected although not
along the midplane. These observations lead to the conclusion that the tests were
successful however results are not definitive. Although the short beam strength
associated with the blank specimens are greater than those associated with the SWCNT-
infused specimens, the difference in strengths of 0.8% fell within the standard deviation
for the tests and is therefore not significant.

The observation that failure did not occur along the midplane of either the blank or
SWCNT specimens, but rather slightly above and below leads to a failure in the ability to
compare strengthening effects of nanotubes in the midplane. It is suggested that other
experiments, such as the double-notched shear test or short beam shear testing on non-
woven fabric composites should be performed to verify results.

A
p
p
e
n
d
i
x


Short Beam Tests for 12-ply Blank Composite Laminate
-500
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8
Displacement (mm)
F
o
r
c
e

(
N
)
Test 1
Test 2
Test 3
Test 4
Test 5


Specimen No. 1
Material Carbon Fiber Metric English
Dimensions
Depth d 4.636 mm 0.1825 in
Length L 28.169 mm 1.1090 in
Width b 9.081 mm 0.3575 in
Max Load 3185.456 N lb
Short Beam Strength 56.758 MPa psi
Specimen No. 2
Material Carbon Fiber Metric English
Dimensions
Depth d 4.648 mm 0.1830 in
Length L 28.054 mm 1.1045 in
Width b 9.373 mm 0.3690 in
Max Load 3287.962 N lb
Short Beam Strength 56.603 MPa psi
Specimen No. 3
Material Carbon Fiber Metric English
Dimensions
Depth d 4.661 mm 0.1835 in
Length L 28.067 mm 1.1050 in
Width b 9.220 mm 0.3630 in
Max Load 3279.831 N lb
Short Beam Strength 57.240 MPa psi
Specimen No. 4
Material Carbon Fiber Metric English
Dimensions
Depth d 4.648 mm 0.1830 in
Length L 28.118 mm 1.1070 in
Width b 9.309 mm 0.3665 in
Max Load 3348.029 N lb
Short Beam Strength 58.031 MPa psi
Specimen No. 5
Material Carbon Fiber Metric English
Dimensions
Depth d 4.661 mm 0.1835 in
Length L 28.131 mm 1.1075 in
Width b 9.271 mm 0.3650 in
Max Load 3369.000 N lb
Short Beam Strength 58.474 MPa psi


12 Ply T650/Epon862 w/ SWCNT's Short Beam Test
-500
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8
Displacement (mm)
F
o
r
c
e

(
N
)
Specimen 1
Specimen 2
Specimen 3
Specimen 4
Specimen 5
Specimen No. 1
Material Carbon Fiber Metric English
Dimensions
Depth d 4.572 mm 0.1800 in
Length L 27.940 mm 1.1000 in
Width b 8.928 mm 0.3515 in
Max Load 3061.157 N 688.1756 lb
Short Beam Strength 56.245 MPa 8157.606 psi
Specimen No. 2
Material Carbon Fiber Metric English
Dimensions
Depth d 4.610 mm 0.1815 in
Length L 28.194 mm 1.1100 in
Width b 8.966 mm 0.3530 in
Max Load 3097.638 N 696.3769 lb
Short Beam Strength 56.205 MPa 8151.814 psi
Specimen No. 3
Material Carbon Fiber Metric English
Dimensions
Depth d 4.585 mm 0.1805 in
Length L 28.194 mm 1.1100 in
Width b 9.538 mm 0.3755 in
Max Load 3372.381 N 758.1416 lb
Short Beam Strength 57.842 MPa 8389.275 psi
Specimen No. 4
Material Carbon Fiber Metric English
Dimensions
Depth d 4.572 mm 0.1800 in
Length L 27.927 mm 1.0995 in
Width b 9.589 mm 0.3775 in
Max Load 3298.279 N 741.4828 lb
Short Beam Strength 56.428 MPa 8184.137 psi
Specimen No. 5
Material Carbon Fiber Metric English
Dimensions
Depth d 4.597 mm 0.1810 in
Length L 27.902 mm 1.0985 in
Width b 8.420 mm 0.3315 in
Max Load 2912.309 N 654.7133 lb
Short Beam Strength 56.425 MPa 8183.711 psi