A Simple Method to Produce Fiber Metal Laminates with Enhanced Mechanical Properties Using an Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA)-based Adhesive Film

Fiber metal laminates (FMLs) have lower density and greater mechanical strength, compared with metal alloys, however it is known that their mechanical properties highly depend on interfacial strength between metal and composite. We introduce a simple method for producing FMLs with enhanced mechanical strength by incorporation of ethylene vinyl acetate-based film without any pre-treatment steps. In addition, to reduce the curing time, an in-house hot press was used to fabricate the FMLs, instead of using conventional autoclave method. Hybrid composites were prepared to place an adhesive layer between prepreg layer and aluminum layer and an in-house hot press and an autoclave (as a control) was also used to fabricate FMLs. Tensile strength, flexural strength, and peel adhesion strength of the FMLs were measured and compared. The results revealed that interfacial void formation was minimized by insertion of the adhesive film and, as a result, mechanical strength of the FMLs with adhesive film was greater than those without the film. This simple method may be useful to produce a FML with improved mechanical strength.