Shear driven deformation and damage mechanisms in High-performance carbon Fibre-reinforced thermoplastic and toughened thermoset composites subjected to high strain loading

High strain loading response of high-performance aerospace grade polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) and toughened epoxy carbon fibre-reinforced composites has been investigated in pre-impregnated laminates having identical carbon fibre volume fraction, i.e. nearly 65%. Tensile cyclic loading tests have been carried out on the laminates with [±45°]8S stacking sequence, in order to characterise inelastic (plasticity) parameters for the two laminates...