No abstract

The brittle nature of thermoset-based composite laminates restricts the application of these materials in various industries. One of the most effective methods for resolving this problem is interleaving the laminate by nanofibrous mats. Applying nanofibers between all layers is very costly and time-consuming. Therefore, the efficiency of using nanofibers in half of the layers for various interleaf sequences is investigated in this study. On the other hand, since the damage pattern is different in thick and thin laminates under impact, its effect is also considered. Cohesive parameters are required for impact modeling in ABAQUS, so they were obtained by mode-I and mode-II fracture tests and numerical studies. The results showed that the best position for interleaving the nanofibers is mid-layers and top layers (near impact point) in thin (flexible) and thick (stiff) laminates, respectively. If it is not possible to predict the damage penetration through the thickness, putting nanofibers in the top section of the laminate is suggested.