Fibers and Polymers 2017, Vol.18, No.

7, 1413-1419 ISSN 1229-9197 (print version)

DOI 10.1007/s12221-017-7091-1 ISSN 1875-0052 (electronic version)
Communication

Interface Improvement of Multi Axial Warp-knitted

Layer Composite with Short Glass Fiber
Pibo Ma1,2* and Xiaolin Nie2
1
Key Laboratory of High Performance Fibers & Products, Ministry of Education, Donghua University,
Shanghai 201620, China
2
Engineering Research Center for Knitting Technology, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
(Received January 30, 2017; Revised April 25, 2017; Accepted May 4, 2017)

Abstract: Inter layer performance enhancement with short glass fiber provides a feasible approach for improving inter layer
tearing strength of glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) composites. The effects of laying short glass fiber (SGF) between
two layers of glass fiber fabrics were studied, including vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM), SEM analysis of
interlayer after tests, layer tearing property and data calculation analysis. The experimental results showed that: (1) the tearing
strength of the GFRP toughened by short glass fiber increased by 48.13 % than that the GFRP without any toughening
treatment, and (2) the damaged samples observed under SEM showed different interface and inter layer morphologies,
mechanism of action of five kinds of reinforcement has been analyzed. In this study, the calculation analysis revealed that
SGF (20 mm) can make inter layer tearing property enhanced greatly, it is the best in these five kinds of GFRP, GFRP with
the reinforcement nap glass fiber fabric has the worst inter layer tearing property of this five.
Keywords: Short fiber, Multi axial warp knitted fabric, Composite, Layer tear strength, Glass fiber

Introduction some other fields in recent years. Laminated composite and

As a new kind of multidirectional knitting technology,
multi axial knitting technology was developed in recent
years. Composite with multi axial yarns offers high properties.
Straight and parallel yarns were tied together to form a multi
axial warp knitted fabric by warp knitting technology.
Therefore the fabric forms a special multi layers structure,
the cost of preparation of materials can be reduced due to
redundant stacking process and convenient VARTM [1,2].
Because of the unique predetermined knitting technology of
multi axial warp knitted fabric, the tensile properties of
fabrics are greatly improved compared with traditional
materials along the axial orientations [3]. Glass fiber multi
axial warp knitted fabric is easy to design and it has excellent
performance, also it is potential to become the largest
industrial composite fabric preform. Glass fiber reinforced
plastic (GFRP) are widely used in many areas, such as
aerospace and automotive industry [4] because of their
lightweight, high strength and excellent impact resistance
[5]. With those outstanding advantages, GFRP are also used
in sports instruments, such as golf shaft [6], bicycle helmet
[7], body of sailing vessel [8], and so on. Hence research and
application on the development of multi axial warp knitted
composite are very rapid, especially for the multi axial warp
knitted composite (MMWK composite).
Because the MMWK composite has excellent performance
that is single material can not match. The MMWK composite
materials have been widely used in many areas, such as
military, aerospace, transportation, civil construction and
*Corresponding author: mapibo@jiangnan.edu.cn
sandwich structural composite material is applied in daily
basic engineering. It is inevitable that MMWK composite
would be destroyed in the process of using, and the strength
between the layers is the weak link of multi axial warp
knitted composites [9,10]. The interlayer toughening processing
is essential for MMWK composite. Numerous efforts have
been undertaken for improving GFRP to reduce the likelihood
of brittle failure caused by poor toughness [11]. Although
there is good performance of reinforcement and resin, but if
people want to get higher strength composite materials, some
measures need to be taken. Using the interface modification
layer and enhancement method is essential. Many scholars
have conducted research in these two aspects using the method
of surface modification and interlayer toughening. The surface
modification methods are mainly coupling agent treatment,
wetting agent treatment, plasma treatment and surface grafting
treatment. Interlayer toughening technology usually uses
particles [12], films, nano materials [13,14] and short fibers.
These things are inserted into the layers of composite
laminates, so as to improve inter laminar fracture toughness
and tearing strength. The particles are difficult to be processed
into micron particles, the preparation process of the films is
very complex, and the difficult solubility of the nano
materials will affect the fluidity of the resin matrix, which
will all affect the final performance of the composites.
Huang [15] studied that inserting little aramid short fiber
can make a kind of toughened structure of random distribution
of fiber in the process of composites preparation. In the
crack propagation of the finished composite material, this
can play a significant toughening effect. Method of adding
short glass fiber into reinforcement layers is not only easy to

1413
1414 Fibers and Polymers 2017, Vol.18, No.7 Pibo Ma and Xiaolin Nie

operate, but also low cost. Besides, this method has little
effects on the other properties of finished composites. In
recent years, the researches of short fiber reinforced layer
subject are mainly focused on carbon fiber and aramid fiber,
the research of glass fiber toughening is still relatively few.
Glass fiber is not easy to burn, low price and high strength,
adding short glass fiber into the layer of composites can
form a good bridging between layers. Bridging effect of Figure 1. Schematic drawing for short glass fiber toughening of
fiber can prevent the composite interlayer tearing and glass fiber/epoxy resin composite.
damage; it can also absorb damage energy improving tearing
property of composite.
In this study, the epoxy resin glass fiber reinforced
composite was prepared by the method of adding short glass
fiber between the layers. The author studied the effect of the
short glass fiber length and stacking mode of reinforcement
on layer tearing strength of multi axial warp knitted
composite. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used
to observe the distribution of short fibers between the layers
of damaged composites. The inter layer strengthening
mechanism of short glass for the composites were discussed.

Experimental

Materials
Glass fiber multi axial warp knitted fabric is used as the Figure 2. Five kinds of reinforcement structure.
reinforcement body. There are two kinds of glass fiber
fabrics. One kind of fabric is that both sides of the fabrics are
smooth; the other kind is that one side of the fabric is
covered with short glass fibers. The main difference of the
two kinds of fabrics is the short glass fiber covered over one
surface. The fabric is a four axial glass fiber warp knitted
fabric with the main body made of four glass fiber layers,
which four layer stacks together by different axis (quad-axis).
The selected short glass fiber was 10 mm, 20 mm and the
weight is 2 gram. The epoxy resin model was E44, the
polyamide curing agent model was 650. Layer tearing strength
property test was carried out using Instron Universal
Machine (3385H) with a statics load sensor and Instron
Bluehill software. The single sample was made using short
glass fiber, glass fiber multi axial warp knitted fabric, guide
net, isolation cloth, plastic film, sealing clip, guide pipe,
vacuum pump, plane mould, epoxy resin, curing agent and
some other things. Figure 3. Stacking forms of short glass fiber and glass fiber fabrics.

Preparation of Composites
In the process of preparation, firstly, epoxy resin and
polyamide curing agent are mixed according to the mass
ratio of 3:1 and the mixed solution was well stirred at 60 oC.
Secondly, the solution is evenly infiltrated into two layer
glass fiber fabrics which were cut into 200 mm×200 mm.
There would be some toughening treatment between these
two layers of fabrics. When the multi axial warp knitted
fabrics were stacked, the prepared glass short fibers are
randomly and uniformly arranged between two layers of
glass fiber fabric. The structure of glass fabrics and short
glass fiber were shown in Figure 1. Lastly, the glass fiber
fabrics infiltrated with resin were placed resting. After
24 hours, the composites were successfully prepared, they
were to be cut into the required size later.
There are five kinds of structure of the reinforcement (A,
B, C, D, E) made from glass fiber fabrics and short glass
fiber. The structure and physical drawings were shown in
Figure 2 and Figure 3. The combination of type A was that
two layers of common glass fiber fabrics stack together; type
Interface Improvement of Layer Composites Fibers and Polymers 2017, Vol.18, No.7 1415

B was that there was some short glass fiber (2 gram/10 mm)
distributed between the fabrics; type C is similar to type B,
but the length of short glass fiber was 20 mm, the weight
was also 2 gram; type D was that glass fiber fabrics (which
single side of the fabric is with short glass fiber) stacked
together and the side with short glass fiber fitted; type E was
that common glass fiber fabric and fabrics with short glass
fiber stacked together and the short glass fiber on the fabrics
was between two layers. After all the reinforcements have
been laid, VATRM is used to make the composites.

Tearing Properties of Composite Materials

Sample Preparation
Composites samples are 145 mm×50 mm which are shown
in Figure 4, the thickness is 2 mm. The difference of
composites is the weight of the short glass fiber between two
layers of glass fiber fabrics. All the short glass fiber in each
composite is 2 gram and it is evenly distributed between the
two layers of reinforcements, so the short glass fiber has no Figure 5. Test of composite layer tearing property.
effect on the thickness of the composite, all the composite
samples have the same thickness.
In consideration of the ignorable effect of short glass fiber
added, the following information was obtained.
The density of composite is 13.2921±1.5 g/cm3. The
volume fraction of glass fiber in composite is 50±2 %. The
structure of the glass fiber reinforcement (single layer) was
shown in Figure 6. In the figure, the darker colored parts of
the fabric indicate glass fiber multifilament, and the brighter
parts, a bundle yarn. The fabric is a four axial glass fiber
warp knitted fabric, with the main body made of four glass
fiber layers, these four layer stacks together by different axis
(quad-axis). Reinforcement used in this research are two
pieces of fabrics, that is eight layers glass fiber. When
observed from the front as shown in Figure 7, the glass fiber
(the white color line) of the first layer of the fabric is

Figure 6. The structure of the glass fiber reinforcement; (a) physical

photograph of four axial fabric (0 o/+45 o/90 o/-45 o) and (b) Multi-
axial (quad-axis) structure diagram (front view).

arranged vertically (0 o); the second layer arranged in 45 o;

the third arranged in 90 o; and the last layer in 135 o (or -45 o).
Quad-axis arrangement ensures the stability of the fabric in
each direction.
Tests of Tearing Property
Figure 4. Size of composite sample. The sample was under testing which was shown in Figure
1416 Fibers and Polymers 2017, Vol.18, No.7 Pibo Ma and Xiaolin Nie

5. Because there was no specialized standard about inter
laminar tearing test of glass fiber reinforced composite, so
this study draws lessons from GB 1446-83 and is also
combined with the special holder size. The test of tearing
strength needs special holder, the samples were fixed on the
load sensor by this special fixture, and testing data is
collected and processed by terminal. Clamping width of
sample is 50 mm which was in agree with the width of
sample. Before testing, samples were beforehand ripped
45 mm in order to be clamped easily and firmly. The
samples were completely torn with a length of 100 mm in
fact and the load speed is 2 mm/min.
Results and Discussion
SEM Observation of Composite
Figure 7 shows the layer interface morphology of the
samples after tests. Figure 7(a) shows the layer interface
morphology of composites type A. After the samples were
damaged, there is no extra fiber between the layers, and the
imprinting left behind by the fiber is very regular. This is in
agreement with laying method of glass fiber bundled in
production of glass fiber fabric. The placement of glass fiber
of reinforcement was shown in Figure 6. Also it can be
observed that the failure forms of the reinforcement in the
interlayer tearing tests are crack of the single fiber and
separation of the fiber bundle. Conclusion can be drawn: the
main contribution of the short glass fiber to the composite
material layer is the breaking strength of the fiber; the main
failure mode of the reinforcement is fiber fracture and
separation.
Figure 7(b) shows the layer interface morphology of
composite type B. The difference between (a) and (b) is that
regular glass fiber bundles on the surface were scattered

Figure 7. Inter layer interface morphology after tests; (a) the layer interface morphology of composites typle A, (b) the layer interface
morphology of composites typle B, (c) the layer interface morphology of composites typle C, (d) the layer interface morphology of
composites typle D, (e) the layer interface morphology of composites typle E, and (f) the layer interface morphology of composites typle F.
Interface Improvement of Layer Composites
covered with a little short glass fiber layer, the main
contribution of the short glass fiber to the composite material
layer is the breaking strength of the fiber of the fabrics and
the short glass fiber arranged. The contribution of the fiber
of the fabrics is similar to composite type A. Besides, the
added short glass fiber contributes at the same time. It can be
drawn that the tearing property of composite type B is better
than composite type A. The result conforms to the data from
Figure 8. From the image, the length of the short glass fiber
is about 10 mm, and the results are in accord with the
preparation of 10 mm short glass fiber.
Figure 7(c) shows the layer interface morphology of
composites type C. The difference between (b) and (c) is that
the length of distributed short glass fiber is 20 mm which
can be seen in the SEM images. So the distribution of short
glass fiber on the surface of glass fiber fabric is more
intensive. Cracked fibers can be seen between layers,
including fiber of the fabrics and later added. It is similar to
structure B that the link of layers is attributed to the fibers of
the fabrics and short glass fiber (20 mm).
Figure 7(d) shows the layer interface morphology of
composites type D. There is no random distribution of short
glass fibers in the reinforced structure of D, but the single
surface of glass fiber fabric is covered with short glass fiber
in the production of fabric. From the image, we can see that
after the test of the composite material, the short glass fiber
laid on the surface of the glass fiber fabric is changed from
the state of sticking to the state of being standing due to
external force. We can also see that the length of the fibers
standing is nearly 20 mm, the experimental data can be used
to compare with other samples.
Due to the special structure of composite type E, there are
two kinds of interface morphology (Figure 7(e) and (f)). The
surface with original fibers with it can be observed that it is
the same with Figure 7(d), fibers are standing. The other
surface can be seen smooth without any other fiber. The
fibers are regular.
Test Results and Discussion
Effect of Short Glass Fiber Added after on the Inter
Laminar Tearing Behavior of Composites
The results of tearing tests of the five kinds of composites
were shown in Figure 8. In this part, the author compares the
results of three kinds of composites (type A, B, C). Similar
common features of A, B, C three curves: within the range
of displacement 0 mm-10 mm, the load displacement curve
is basically linear. With the increasing of displacement
(10 mm-100 mm), the three load displacement curves
fluctuate in different ranges. The differences: The linear part
of composite A is 0 mm-20 mm; Composite reinforcement
(A) without toughening treatment between layers, the
interlayer tearing property was mainly determined by the
interface between the matrix and the reinforcement; there
were short glass fiber in the layers of composite B and C, so
Fibers and Polymers 2017, Vol.18, No.7 1417
Figure 8. Results of tearing tests.
the tearing strength of composites B and C were higher than
that of composite A broadly, the layer tearing performance is
greater than A; also the slope of initial load displacement is
larger, but the linear part is short.
Because the inter laminar tearing strength (N) of the
composite is fluctuated within a certain range, the author
provided the average tearing strength (Table 1) in order to
find out the differences of five kinds of composites. Table
data can be calculated that the average inter laminar tearing
strength of composite B increased by 8.08 % compared with
that of composite A; compared with A, C increased by
48.13 % and C increased 37.06 % by B. The conclusion can
be drawn through the calculation and analysis: short glass
fiber added after has a great positive effect on the inter
laminar tearing performance of MMWK composite, the
longer the length of glass fiber, the more obvious positive
toughening effect can be seen. In addition, when the glass
fiber is added, the initial load displacement slope becomes
larger, this makes difficult for the failure of the composites
when the external force acts.
Effect of Short Glass Fiber on the Glass Fiber Fabric on
the Inter Laminar Tearing Behavior of Composites
In addition to the study of the toughening effect of glass
fiber added after, inter laminar tearing property of glass fiber
reinforced with short glass fiber naturally attached to the
glass fabric was studied. This part mainly compares the
curves of D and E. The D and E curves in Figure 8 show the
tearing performance of D and E composites, respectively, of
the two composites. Common features of two curves of D
and E: the curve is linear in the initial stage about 0 mm-
10 mm displacement, and then comes down gently after the
maximum load. Compared with curve A, B and C, curve D
and E is relatively smooth. The differences: the tearing
strength (N) of E composite is always under the D curve. It
can be concluded that in the whole process of testing, the
inter laminar tearing behavior of D composites is better than
that of E composites, the reason is that bridging ability of
structure type D is greater than that of E. The glass fiber
1418 Fibers and Polymers 2017, Vol.18, No.7 Pibo Ma and Xiaolin Nie

Table 1. Results of the tearing property tests linear in the initial stage. The initial load displacement slope
Type of composites Group Tearing strength (N) of the composite (B, C, D, E) is approximately the same, but
more inclined than kind A. It is known that the composites
Group 1 8.27242
containing short glass fibers are more difficult to be torn in
Group 2 7.52928 the original state. After linear stage, the tearing strength of
Group 3 8.62778 A, B and C three kinds of composites fluctuate within a
A
Average value 8.14316 certain range, the reason is that the short glass fiber is
Standard deviation 0.457490498 different in the degree of fixation between layers, therefore
CV values 0.05621 the ability of the interface to bear the load is different, when
Group 1 9.077 the load is applied, the tearing strength fluctuates within a
certain range. The tearing strength curves of D and E
Group 2 9.206
composite are smooth, the reason is that the distribution
Group 3 9.459 density of short fiber is large, short glass fiber fixed evenly,
B
Average value 9.247 so that the bearing load capacity of interface is also uniform,
Standard deviation 0.158665966 the data fluctuation is small.
CV values 0.01715
Group 1 12.141 Conclusion
Group 2 11.641
The toughening MMWK composite’s interlayer tearing
Group 3 12.636
C performance by short glass fiber is increased. It is obvious
Average value 12.193 that the ability to withstand the tearing load between the
Standard deviation 0.4062088 layers of the composite is enhanced using this method.
CV values 0.03331 Through the change of the length of the short glass fiber and
Group 1 2.946 the structure of the reinforcing body, the composite materials
Group 2 4.871 with different inter laminar toughening properties can be
prepared. Among them, the addition of glass fiber toughening
Group 3 3.089
D effect is the most obvious (Structure B and C), and the
Average value 3.635 longer ones of the short glass fibers which toughening effect
Standard deviation 0.8756964 is better. The results show inter laminar tearing performance
CV values 0.24091 of composites with short glass fiber is better than that
Group 1 1.986 without glass fiber. Although the average tearing strength of
Group 2 2.557 composite D and E was decreased, the slope of the initial
Group 3 2.363
load displacement curve was larger, and the composite
E material was improved to be teared.
Average value 2.302
Standard deviation 0.2370668 Acknowledgements
CV values 0.10298
The authors acknowledge the financial support from the
(attached to the fabrics) on both sides of the layer has more China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2016M591767),
contact points, the two sides of the glass fiber will be linked. the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
Based on Table 1, it can be calculated that the average (JUSRP51625B), the Applied Foundation Research Funds
tearing strength of composite D and E decreased by 61.56 % of China Textile Industry Association (J201604), and the
and 73.52 % compared with that of A, but type D are Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (No.
31.11 % stronger than E. Due to the dense distribution of BK20151129).
short glass fibers on the surface of composite D and E, the
matrix resin in the unit volume of the composite layer is less References
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