DENTRITES THE SOLUTION TO IMPROVE COMPRESSIVE BEHAVIOR OF COMPOSITE STRUCTURES

COMPOSITES HAVE ESTABLISHED THEIR ADVANTAGEOUS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE AND WEIGHT REDUCTION, PARTICULARLY IN TENSION-LOADED STRUCTURES LOADED. THESE MATERIALS POSSESS HIGH STIFFNESSES AND TENSILE STRENGTHS COMBINED WITH LOW DENSITY, AND THEY HAVE BECOME THE MATERIAL OF CHOICE IN NUMEROUS HIGH PERFORMANCE APPLICATIONS. THE SAME CANNOT BE SAID FOR COMPRESSIVE PROPERTIES OF THESE MATERIALS, WHICH ARE OFTEN MUCH LOWER THAN THEIR TENSILE COUNTERPARTS. THIS OFTEN RESULTS IN OVERDESIGNING FOR COMPRESSION, WITH CORRESPONDINGLY HIGHER WEIGHT. REDUCED COMPRESSION BEHAVIOR IN SUCH MATERIALS IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO MICROFIBRILLAR BUCKLING AND KINKING PHENOMENA WHICH MAYBE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIBER ITSELF, THE MATRIX, OR THE INTERFACE BETWEEN THE TWO. IN ORDER FOR COMPOSITES SUBJECTED TO BOTH TENSILE AND COMPRESSION TO BE OPTIMALLY DESIGNED, THESE PROPERTIES MUST BE INCREASED. THIS PROPOSAL PRESENTS AN INNOVATIVE AND EXCITING APPROACH TO IMPROVING THE PROPERTIES OF THESE MATERIALS BY SIMULTANEOUSLY IMPROVING BOTH THE FIBER AND THE LOAD TRANSFER AT THE FIBER-MATRIX INTERFACE BY EMPLOYING A UNIQUE METHOD FOR IMPROVING LATERAL SUPPORT TO THE FIBER. IN SO DOING, IT REDUCES THE TENDENCY OF FIBER TO FAIL THROUGH MICROBUCKLING, PROVIDES ENHANCED COUPLING AND INTERLOCKING IN THE INTERFACIAL REGION, INCREASES COMPRESSIVE PROPERTIES, AND OPENS NEW DOORS TO OPTIMAL DESIGN OF DOD SYSTEMS USING COMPOSITES. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS/POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS - NUMEROUS BENEFITS SHOULD ACCRUE AS A RESULT OF IMPROVING COMPRESSIVE PROPERTIES OF A MAJOR CLASS OF MATERIALS, BOTH IN THE MILITARY AND CIVILIAN SECTOR. FOR DOD, THESE BENEFITS INCLUDE REDUCING THE TENDENCY TO OVERDESIGN IN HIGH PERFORMANCE APPLICATIONS (E.G., MILITARY AIRCRAFT, SHIPS, GROUND VEHICLES) TO COMPENSATE FOR POOR