Mode‐III interlaminar fracture toughness characterization of woven carbon‐Kevlar interyarn hybrid textile composites

The Mode‐III interlaminar fracture toughness characterization of plain and twill woven carbon‐Kevlar interyarn hybrid textile composites is performed using edge crack torsion test specimens. The fracture toughness is determined using the multi‐specimen‐based compliance calibration method. The edge crack torsion test specimens are characterized for three initial crack lengths, 10 mm, 20 mm, and 30 mm, to determine the compliance calibration coefficients using linear regression analysis. The results revealed that the carbon‐Kevlar interyarn hybridization significantly affects the Mode‐III interlaminar fracture toughness of the edge crack torsion test specimens. The plain woven carbon‐Kevlar interyarn hybrid textile composite laminate with carbon yarn in length direction shows a higher interlaminar fracture toughness than Kevlar monolithic composite laminates. It is also observed that as the initial crack length increases, peak load value decreases, specimen compliance increases, specimen stiffness reduces, and the Mode‐III interlaminar fracture toughness of edge crack torsion test specimens increases. Several failure mechanisms are investigated using scanning electron microscopy of tested samples.