Joining of Composites with Metals using Graded Metal Fabric Interfaces

Abstract

A major challenge in the implementation of fibre-reinforced plastics (FRPs) is the provision of stress-appropriate joints with other materials. Establishing a high-strength, graded metal fabric interface using industrially established joining methods is a target-oriented approach in this context. For this purpose, a novel solution based on a textile transition structure in combination with the evaluation of different joining methods is presented in this article. A process chain was developed that depicts both the design and production of textile transition structure as reinforcement material of the FRP component and the further processing to metal FRP composites. Within the textile transition structure, the hybrid fabrics combine glass fibre yarns and metal flat wires, where the latter enable the joining process and transfer loads into the reinforcing glass fibres. The manufacturing implementation of this new joining interface from the textile to the hybrid component is described in detail within the paper. Furthermore, results of mechanical load tests of the graded metal fabric interface are presented. The research results make a significant contribution to the development of innovative graded metal fabric interface with a benign failure behaviour and a great potential especially with regard to the efficient joining of mixed material constructions in large-scale applications.