Project Description: The fibre-matrix interface plays a key role within fibre-reinforced composite materials in determining their resulting material properties. Having a poor quality interface will result in a composite material possessing poor material properties. Traditionally, the strength of the interface has primarily been thought to have been governed by how well the polymer matrix can chemically bond to the surface of the reinforcement fibre, through the fibre sizing. Research within the Advanced Composites Group has suggested that residual stresses, that form during the curing process, may also play key role in defining the strength of the interface, outside of chemical bonds. Applying a thin gold coating, in principle should result in the fibre surface effectively being chemically inert to the polymers of interest for this project, and as such allow for further study of this interesting phenomenon. The project will be heavily experimental, and involve working in collaboration with a PhD student based within the Advanced Composites Group (ACG).

Project Objectives: The key aims/objectives for the project will be as follows:

(i) To conduct a literature review into the field of residual stresses within composite materials, and the potential contribution they can make to the interface. (iv)

(ii) To develop a procedure to effectively gold-coat glass fibres consistently.

(iii) To conduct fibre-matrix interface testing utilising the gold coated fibres to investigate the effect on stress transfer capability.

(iv) To conduct analysis of tested samples using microscopy techniques to evaluate the causes for failure of samples.