Compressive Properties and Failure of Aluminum/Epoxy Resin Interpenetrating Phase Composites Reinforced by Glass Fiber

Aluminum/epoxy resin interpenetrating phase composites (IPCs) were directly strengthened by adding glass fiber of varying content (80 wt%, 100 wt%, 120 wt% and 140 wt%) inside the epoxy resin. The macro and micro structures of IPCs were intact, and the interface between aluminum and epoxy resin was well combined. As the content of glass fiber increased, the compressive strength of epoxy resin increased, but the failure was advanced, while IPCs displayed the opposite trend. IPCs exhibited three compression deformation modes, namely plastic deformation of aluminum, resin fracture and interface debonding. The digital image correlation and infrared thermal imager were used to characterize the apparent principal strain distribution and temperature distribution of IPCs to verify the deformation modes. The surface temperature damage evolution of IPCs included the rapid temperature rise stage, steady temperature stage and slight temperature drop stage, respectively, mainly corresponding to the linear elastic stage, plateau stage and densification stage in the stress-strain curves.