The impact damage response of plain woven natural silk/epoxy laminated composite plates

Abstract

This paper presents the impact response of woven natural silk (WNS)/Epoxy composite. The composite specimens were prepared in configurations of 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 ply of WNS. Drop weight impact test was carried out under varied impact energies of 32J, 48J and 64J. Examinations of load bearing capability, energy absorption capability and damage process from initiation of damage to final perforation, with regards to increasing number of WNS Ply and increasing impact loads were investigated. It was observed that load bearing capability increases with increase in the number of WNS ply. Further investigation of each plate revealed that load bearing capability increases with increase in impact load. The energy absorption capability also increased with increase in the number of WNS ply. It is important to note that as the thickness of the specimen increases, delamination and surface area damage increased. The scanning electronics microscope (SEM) result showed mechanism of failure as a combination of delamination, fibre-matrix debonding, fibre breakage and interlaminar matrix cracking.

Keywords: Impact damage, laminated composites, energy absorption, woven natural silk.