Effect of volume ratio and hybrid mode on low-velocity impact properties of unidirectional flax/carbon fiber hybrid reinforced polymer composites

Hybrid fiber reinforced polymer composites have attracted widespread attention because they can fully utilize the advantages of two different types of fibers. To produce fiber reinforced polymer composites with excellent impact properties, unidirectional carbon/flax hybrid fiber reinforced polymer composite (HFRP) plates were developed using a filament-winding technique. The effects of the carbon fiber content and hybrid mode (a carbon–flax–carbon or flax–carbon–flax structure) on the impact properties and residual compressive properties of the HFRP plates were studied. Acoustic emission tests were performed to characterize the damage during impact, and the K-means cluster analysis method was used to investigate the HFRP damage development during post-impact compression. The test results indicate the higher carbon fiber contents enhanced their specific energy absorption (SEA), as the impact-induced brittle fracturing of the carbon-fiber layers was more severe. The hybrid mode and impact energy level critically influenced the HFRP SEA behavior. The HFRP plate with flax skin exhibited high SEA at a low impact energy, whereas that with carbon fiber skin exhibited high SEA at a high impact energy along with perforation. A more severe extension of the damage caused by the original impact occurs in the impacted HFRP under a compressive load.