Epoxy-carbon composite fatigue resistance

Carbon (sometimes referred to as graphite) fibre is the reinforcement material of choice for advanced composites. Carbon fibres have a higher fatigue resistance than glass or aramid. Carbon fibre properties depend on the structure of the carbon used and are typically defined as standard, intermediate and high modulus fibres. Several thousand fibres are twisted together to form a yarn which may be used by itself or woven into a fabric. The yarn or fabric is combined with a resin, usually epoxy, and wound or moulded to shape to form a wide variety of products. 

Some attempts were made to improve the fatigue resistance of polymers by adding 2-D nanofillers such as carbon nanotubes or nanofibers, with particular attention to thermosetting resins, such as epoxies, having a potential interest as matrices for structural composites [47,48,51,63]. 

Weber I, Schwartz P. Monitoring bending fatigue in carbon-fibre/epoxy composite strands a comparison between mechanical and resistance techniques. Compos Sci Technol 2001 61(6) 849-53. 

I. Weber and P. Schwartz, Monitoring Bending Fatigue in Carbon-Fibre/Epoxy Composite Strands A Comparison Between Mechanical and Resistance Techniques, Compos. Sci. Technol., 61 [6] 849-853 (2001). 

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