Impact and post-impact flexural property of 3D five-directional braided carbon/glass hybrid epoxy composites

The impact property and residual flexural property of three-dimensional (3D) five-directional braided carbon/glass hybrid epoxy composites were studied. Four kinds of arrangement for carbon fiber and glass fiber in the axial yarn were designed. Taking pure carbon fiber composites (C/C-a) as the control, the rest of arrangements were that glass fiber and carbon fiber alternately arranged at the width direction (C/G(1)), glass fiber and carbon fiber alternately arranged at the thickness direction (C/G(2)), and only glass fiber appeared at the axial yarn (C/G(3)). Results showed that the C/G(2) composite has higher impact energy absorption capacity, and the C/G(1) composite has higher impact stress. The flexural properties of C/C-a composite are the best and that of C/G(3) composite are the worst before impacting. This study is helpful for the structural design of composites in specific occasions.