The Effect of Strain Rate on the Compression Behavior of Additively Manufactured Short Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polyamide Composites With Different Layer Heights, Infill Patterns, and Built Angles

Abstract

Previous studies on the fused deposition modelling (FDM) processed short carbon fiber/Polyamide 6 (PA6) matrix composites and neat PA6 have mostly concentrated on the quasi-static mechanical properties. Present study focused on the strain rate-dependent deformation behavior of a short carbon fiber-reinforced PA6 (Onyx) and neat PA6, produced in different layer heights, infill patterns and built angles. As compared with PA6, Onyx showed a higher compression stress at all strain rates investigated. A layer height of 0.2 mm in PA6 specimens promoted a better bonding between [0/90°] infill layers; hence, a higher flow stress than 0.2 mm layer height specimens, while 0.2 mm layer height induced a higher porosity in Onyx specimens, leading to a lower flow stress. The porosities in Onyx [0/90°] infill specimens were due to the constraining effect of 0/90° fiber layers. Changing infill pattern from a [0/90°] to a concentric one decreased porosity at the same layer height and hence increased the compressive flow stress. The highest compressive strength was found in the specimens with the loading axis 90 and 0° to [0/90°] infill plane. The lowest strength was, however, determined in the specimens with the loading axis 30 and 60o to [0/90°] infill plane in quasi-static loading. However, the specimens with the loading axis of 60, 45, 30 and 0° exhibited a brittle behavior in high strain rate loading (1500 s−1). The specimens with the loading axis of 45° had the lowest fracture stress and strain in the high strain rate loading. This signified the importance of loading angle at high strain rates. Finally, the rate sensitivities of PA6 and Onyx specimens were shown to be similar, showing a matrix dominated deformation. However, the strain rate jump tests indicated a slightly higher rate sensitivity of Onyx specimens at quasi-static strain rates (10−3-10−1 s−1).