Mechanical properties of TiNi fiber impregnated CFRP composites

TiNi fiber impregnated CFRP composites have been fabricated by hot-pressing at a temperature of 180 °C. The host material (CFRP) layers were stacked with the carbon fibers at angles of 0°, 30°, 60° or 90° relative to the tensile direction. The tensile strengths and Young's moduli of the composites are found to depend strongly on the stacking angle of the carbon fibers. Their values decrease as the stacking angle increases from 30° to 90°. Pores and/or voids are found to congregate near the embedded TiNi fibers and their amounts increase proportionally with the stacking angle of the carbon fibers. The effect of strengthening by stacking angle of carbon fibers was studied by an AE technique during tensile testing.