Characterization of long fiber thermoplastic/metal laminates

Long fiber thermoplastic (LFT) composite/ metal laminate (LML) is a hybrid composite consisting of alternate layers of metals such as aluminum and an LFT composite, which combines advantages from both the constituents. The LFT/Al laminates (LMLs) were processed by compression molding and were characterized for their Young’s modulus, mechanical strength, and lowvelocity impact (LVI) properties. The average values of specific elastic modulus and specific tensile strength were approximately 20 GPa/(gcm-3) and 108.5 MPa/(gcm-3), respectively. Failure mechanisms included delamination between LFT composite and Al, fiber fracture and pullout in LFT composite, and shear fracture of aluminum and LFT composite layers. Rule-of-mixtures (ROM) predictions of laminate properties in tension compared well with the experimental values. Specific perforation energy of the laminates determined by LVI tests was 7.58 J/(kgm-2), which is significantly greater than that of the LFT composite alone, 1.72 J/(kgm-2). Overall, the LML showed significant improvement in the properties as compared to the LFT composite