Impact behaviour of hybrid fibre metal laminates

• Main Author: Lee, Edward Zhi Cheng.
• Other Authors: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Aeronautical engineering::Materials of construction
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/49411
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Fibre Metal Laminates (FML) are becoming a popular choice for the aerospace industry in constructing modern jets. Thus it is important to improve the mechanical properties of FML to improve safety standards. Impact damage is a relevant source of damage that the aviation industry faced on a daily basis and it would be favourable to improve the impact resistance and bearing load of FML. The study first investigated the process of dispersing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) in epoxy for used in later fabrication of hybridised GLARE. The objective was to determine the parameters that could affect the homogenous dispersion by sonication. It was determined that the duration of sonication could vary the length of the MWCNT and the MWCNT/solvent mixture was to be stirred during the sonicating process to ensure homogeneity. A longer sonication could also significantly reduce the amount of agglomerates in the dispersion.