Puncture resistance of STF impregnated MWCNTs-grafted carbon fabrics

In this study, STF with the silica concentration of 20 wt% was fabricated. Functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were chemically bonded onto the carbon fibers by using grafting technique. In grafting technique, DMF/PAN fiber/MWCNTs suspension sprayed onto each surface of carbon fabric and MWCNTs were grafted by a thermal treatment at 250 degrees C. Neat and MWCNTs-Grafted carbon fabrics were impregnated with STF with the silica loading of 20 wt%. Then, dynamic and quasi-static puncture resistance of neat, STF impregnated, MWCNTs-Grafted and MWCNTs-Grafted-STF impregnated carbon fabrics were examined. STF impregnation was detected to lead to a decrease in dynamic puncture resistance and an increase in quasi-static puncture resistance. Dynamic puncture resistance of MWCNTs-Grafted carbon fabric was found to be less than neat fabrics due to larger gaps between yarns occurred after thermal stabilization. Also, due to the greater gap between yarns, complete perforation occurred at lower penetration depth in MWCNTs-Grafted carbon fabrics than neat carbon fabrics in quasi-static puncture tests.