Improving the delamination resistance of fibre reinforced polymer composites using 3D woven metal Z-Filaments

This paper presents a new approach for greatly increasing the delamination resistance of fibre reinforced polymer composites via through-the-thickness weaving of high-strength, high-toughness metal z-filaments. Dry carbon fabric preforms were woven in the through-thickness direction with thin and continuous stainless steel or copper filaments, and then infused with epoxy resin to create 3D woven composites. The modes I and II interlaminar...