Interlaminar fracture toughness behavior of electron-beam cured carbon-fiber reinforced epoxy-resin composites

The work describes the preparation and physical-mechanical characterization of unidirectional CFRP panels manufactured by an electron beam curing technique. Delamination fracture toughness in Mode I and II is investigated in order to evaluate the influence of fiber–matrix adhesion strength, matrix toughness and matrix crosslinking density as determined by the radiation curing process. A matrix system comprising a DGEBA epoxy monomer and an initiator of cationic polymerization have been used, with one batch of resin mixed with a PES monomer in order to enhance matrix toughness. Curing was achieved with a pulsed 10 MeV Electron Beam accelerator. Thermally cured composite systems have also bee…