Impact behaviour of carbon epoxy composite with PAN nanofiber reinforcement

This study presents an experimental and analytical investigation into the impact behavior of electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber interleaved carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites. Experimental testing was conducted using a single-stage gas gun, with photogrammetry employed to capture the high-speed impact dynamics. An energy-based analytical model was developed to identify dominant energy absorption mechanisms during impact. Results indicate that the nano-interleaved CFRP (Nano) exhibited superior ballistic performance compared to the baseline composite (Control). The ballistic limit increased from 70 m/s for Control to 80 m/s for Nano, a 14% improvement along with a 24% increase in energy absorption per unit areal density. Damage analysis revealed distinct failure patterns between the two. The analytical model accurately predicted energy absorption contributions: tensile failure of primary fibers (37%), secondary fiber deformation (33%), delamination (14%), and matrix cracking (15%) in Control; versus secondary fiber deformation (33%), delamination (26%), matrix cracking (25%), and minimal tensile failure (15%) in Nano. The strong correlation between experimental and analytical results confirms that PAN nanofiber interleaving significantly enhances the ballistic properties of CFRP, offering promising potential for future advancements in impact-resistant composite materials.