Biomimetic polypropylene-carbon intra-ply hybrid 3d woven composite with enhanced impact resistance

E Archer; AT McIlhagger; Calvin Ralph; Callum Montgomery; Cormac Mc Garrigle; S Szyniszewski; Anna  Weatherburn; John  Girkin; George  Scott

doi:10.1016/j.compstruct.2025.119177

Biomimetic polypropylene-carbon intra-ply hybrid 3d woven composite with enhanced impact resistance

E Archer
, AT McIlhagger
, Calvin Ralph
, Callum Montgomery
, Cormac Mc Garrigle
, S Szyniszewski
, Anna Weatherburn
, John Girkin
, George Scott

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

64 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

In this study, a nacre-inspired carbon-polypropylene 3D woven composite is developed. The biomimetic ‘brick-and-mortar’ design is implemented by interlacing softer polypropylene yarns with brittle carbon fibres. This novel composite was benchmarked against a standard carbon fibre 3D woven composite with identical weave architecture, examining tensile properties, impact resistance, and shear strength. The comparative analysis was supported by micrographs and μCT scans. Results showed that the hybrid composite absorbed 16% more impact energy in the weft direction than its purely carbon counterpart. The presence of polypropylene yarns increased crimp within the weave contributing to reduced tensile and shear properties. The study identifies the bulk factor of polypropylene yarns as critical in minimising crimp and structural flaws in the hybrid design. In summary, this work presents a nature-inspired hybrid composite, with an increased impact resistance but with trade-offs in tensile and shear properties.

Original language	English
Article number	119177
Pages (from-to)	1-15
Number of pages	15
Journal	Composite Structures
Volume	366
Early online date	23 Apr 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2025.119177
Publication status	Published (in print/issue) - 15 Aug 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Authors

Data Availability Statement

Data is available in the Mendeley Data Repositories identified in the paper Appendices.

Funding

The authors would like to acknowledge the trial CT scans completed in the XRCT laboratory of the Department of Engineering at Durham University, as well as the constructive discussions with Dr. Alexandros Petalas and Dr. Ioanna Zougrou on CT imaging of the composite samples. This work was conducted under the Aura Centre for Doctoral Training in Offshore Wind Energy and the Environment. The authors would like to thank the UK funding agencies, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Natural Environment Reserach Council (NERC) [UKRI grant number: EP/S023763/1 , Project Reference: 2744497] for providing financial support for this project.

Funders	Funder number
Natural Environment Research Council
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Durham University
EP/S023763/1, 2744497

Keywords

3D woven composite
Biomimetic
Charpy impact
Fibre-hybrid
Short beam shear
Tensile
μCT

Access to Document

10.1016/j.compstruct.2025.119177

1-s2.0-S0263822325003423-mainFinal published version, 4.69 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Biomimetic polypropylene-carbon intra-ply hybrid 3d woven composite with enhanced impact resistance",

abstract = "In this study, a nacre-inspired carbon-polypropylene 3D woven composite is developed. The biomimetic {\textquoteleft}brick-and-mortar{\textquoteright} design is implemented by interlacing softer polypropylene yarns with brittle carbon fibres. This novel composite was benchmarked against a standard carbon fibre 3D woven composite with identical weave architecture, examining tensile properties, impact resistance, and shear strength. The comparative analysis was supported by micrographs and μCT scans. Results showed that the hybrid composite absorbed 16\% more impact energy in the weft direction than its purely carbon counterpart. The presence of polypropylene yarns increased crimp within the weave contributing to reduced tensile and shear properties. The study identifies the bulk factor of polypropylene yarns as critical in minimising crimp and structural flaws in the hybrid design. In summary, this work presents a nature-inspired hybrid composite, with an increased impact resistance but with trade-offs in tensile and shear properties.",

keywords = "3D woven composite, Biomimetic, Charpy impact, Fibre-hybrid, Short beam shear, Tensile, μCT",

author = "E Archer and AT McIlhagger and Calvin Ralph and Callum Montgomery and \{Mc Garrigle\}, Cormac and S Szyniszewski and Anna Weatherburn and John Girkin and George Scott",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Authors",

year = "2025",

month = aug,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.compstruct.2025.119177",

language = "English",

volume = "366",

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AU - Archer, E

AU - McIlhagger, AT

AU - Ralph, Calvin

AU - Montgomery, Callum

AU - Mc Garrigle, Cormac

AU - Szyniszewski, S

AU - Weatherburn, Anna

AU - Girkin, John

AU - Scott, George

PY - 2025/8/15

Y1 - 2025/8/15

N2 - In this study, a nacre-inspired carbon-polypropylene 3D woven composite is developed. The biomimetic ‘brick-and-mortar’ design is implemented by interlacing softer polypropylene yarns with brittle carbon fibres. This novel composite was benchmarked against a standard carbon fibre 3D woven composite with identical weave architecture, examining tensile properties, impact resistance, and shear strength. The comparative analysis was supported by micrographs and μCT scans. Results showed that the hybrid composite absorbed 16% more impact energy in the weft direction than its purely carbon counterpart. The presence of polypropylene yarns increased crimp within the weave contributing to reduced tensile and shear properties. The study identifies the bulk factor of polypropylene yarns as critical in minimising crimp and structural flaws in the hybrid design. In summary, this work presents a nature-inspired hybrid composite, with an increased impact resistance but with trade-offs in tensile and shear properties.

AB - In this study, a nacre-inspired carbon-polypropylene 3D woven composite is developed. The biomimetic ‘brick-and-mortar’ design is implemented by interlacing softer polypropylene yarns with brittle carbon fibres. This novel composite was benchmarked against a standard carbon fibre 3D woven composite with identical weave architecture, examining tensile properties, impact resistance, and shear strength. The comparative analysis was supported by micrographs and μCT scans. Results showed that the hybrid composite absorbed 16% more impact energy in the weft direction than its purely carbon counterpart. The presence of polypropylene yarns increased crimp within the weave contributing to reduced tensile and shear properties. The study identifies the bulk factor of polypropylene yarns as critical in minimising crimp and structural flaws in the hybrid design. In summary, this work presents a nature-inspired hybrid composite, with an increased impact resistance but with trade-offs in tensile and shear properties.

KW - 3D woven composite

KW - Biomimetic

KW - Charpy impact

KW - Fibre-hybrid

KW - Short beam shear

KW - Tensile

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JO - Composite Structures

JF - Composite Structures

M1 - 119177

ER -

Biomimetic polypropylene-carbon intra-ply hybrid 3d woven composite with enhanced impact resistance

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Availability Statement

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Development and understanding of non-uniform 3D woven composites

Cite this

Biomimetic polypropylene-carbon intra-ply hybrid 3d woven composite with enhanced impact resistance

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Availability Statement

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Student theses

Development and understanding of non-uniform 3D woven composites

Cite this