Ns. Choi et K. Takahashi, Characterization of the damage process in short-fibre/thermoplastic composites by acoustic emission, J MATER SCI, 33(9), 1998, pp. 2357-2363
Fracture processes of short glass fibre-reinforced thermoplastic tensile sp
ecimens have been investigated in relation to acoustic emission (AE) charac
teristics. Two fibre diameters (d = 10, 23 mu m) were adopted for this stud
y. Frequency analysis employing band-pass filters suggested that AE with hi
gher amplitude was due to fibre breakages. Fibre-matrix interfacial failure
and matrix fracture emitted lower amplitude AE waves. Reflected-and transm
itted optical microscopy, in combination with scanning electron microscopy,
revealed that fibre breakage ahead of the artificial notch tip led to the
initiation of a macroscopic fracture. This ;coincided with the results that
AE peak amplitudes, V-p, showed a minimum at fracture initiation. When the
macroscopic fracture propagated, V-p again increased rapidly, indicating a
dditional fibre breakage. These fracture mechanism worked consistently for
both d = 10 and 23 mu m Based on the above findings, AE source characteriza
tion was proposed for the stable fracture process of short fibre-reinforced
plastics. (C) 1998 Chapman & Hall.