Flexural and low velocity impact behaviour of hybrid metal wire mesh/carbon-fibre reinforced epoxy laminates

Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the development of innovative fibre metal laminates with significantly enhanced flexural strength and impact resistance. The objective of this study is to develop stainless-steel wire mesh/carbon-fibre reinforced epoxy laminates and examine their flexural and low velocity impact behaviour as a function of steel wire mesh reinforcement. The damage caused by low velocity impact was examined using optical microscopy and micro computed tomography (micro-CT). Steel wire mesh reinforcement increased low velocity impact performance because of its ductility, which dissipates energy across the cross-section and enables the structure to absorb more energy than an unreinforced composite. Scanning electron microscopy images of the composites' cross-sectional microstructure showed the carbon fibres and steel wires' wettability, indicating a strong reinforcement-epoxy matrix interface. Steel wire mesh reduced fragmentation and delamination damage in the impact cone and helped retain composite structural integrity, according to micro-CT data. However, the influence of steel mesh reinforcement on flexural behaviour was insignificant. In conclusion, the developed hybrid metal wire mesh/carbon-fibre reinforced epoxy laminates possess enhanced impact properties, which can make them promising candidates specifically for aerospace and defence applications.