Composite materials are developed by combining materials offering unique properties that cannot be achieved individually by the constituent materials. To produce a fibre-reinforced polymer composite, fibres of various configurations and stiffness are embedded into a polymer matrix of lower stiffness. While the fibre is responsible for carrying the load and offering much needed strength and stiffness, the polymer matrix is responsible for the mobility of the load to other parts of the fibre by providing the required binding forces. The matrices also prevent the reinforced fibres from absorbing moisture, propagating micro-cracking due to microbial and chemical attacks.
1. Introduction
Composite materials are developed by combining materials offering unique properties that cannot be achieved individually by the constituent materials. Because of their excellent strength to weight ratio, they have increasingly been used as engineering materials for many applications, that include automotive and aerospace parts, construction materials, electrical parts and other consumer products
[1]. The growth of composite materials for extended use, particularly in the aerospace and automobile industries, has necessitated continuous research for developing improved composites with excellent mechanical properties
[2]. The constituents of composites are classified into matrix and reinforcement. While the matrix can be made of polymers, metals or ceramics, reinforcement includes fibres, whiskers and particulate fillers that exist in natural (lignocellulose, animal fibres and minerals) or synthetic form (carbon, aramid, boron, nylon, polyethylene)
[3].
To produce a fibre-reinforced polymer composite, fibres of various configurations and stiffness are embedded into a polymer matrix of lower stiffness. While the fibre is responsible for carrying the load and offering much needed strength and stiffness, the polymer matrix is responsible for the mobility of the load to other parts of the fibre by providing the required binding forces
[3]. The matrices also prevent the reinforced fibres from absorbing moisture, propagating micro-cracking due to microbial and chemical attacks. Polymer matrices can be either thermoplastic or thermoset. Thermoplastic polymers undergo a physical change when heated and can be softened and reformed. Some thermoplastics commonly used in composites include polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), polyphenylene sulphide, polyethylenimine (PEI) and polycarbonates (PC)
[4]. On the other hand, thermoset polymers undergo a chemical change in the presence of a crosslinking agent (hardener) to form a three-dimensional structure. Thermosets include epoxies, phenolics, polyimides, polyester, vinyl ester, bismaleimide, melamine and silicone
[4]. Thermoplastic composites offer great potential due to less processing time. However, significant drawbacks, which include a high processing temperature (the polymers must be heated to melting point to incorporate the fibre), a high tendency for the buckling of fibres in the polymer matrices, and solvent and fluid resistance features, have reduced their adoption as a substitute for thermoset in fibre-reinforced polymer composites
[5].
Both tensile and compressive stresses are generated in polymer composite structures during the manufacturing process, and their occurrence in a composite can result from differences in physical and mechanical properties, a contraction of the polymer matrices before curing, manufacturing techniques and moisture absorption from the environment
[6]. However, while compressive stresses have positive influences on the mechanical properties of the composite material, the tensile stresses have a detrimental effect on the manufactured polymer composite by causing distortion, dimensional instability and matrix cracking
[7]. Fibre-prestressing offers a low-cost means of reducing the influence of tensile residual stresses, thereby improving the mechanical properties without increasing the mass or dimension of the composite
[8]. It is important to know that fibre-prestressing can only reduce residual stress in polymer composites if applied to a certain level
[9].
2. Source of Residual Stresses in a Composite
In the absence of external forces, residual stresses are forms of stress that bring about the deformation of a composite material
[7]. There are two primary sources of residual stresses in a composite material; (i) residual stresses generated due to differences in deformation-related properties of the materials, and (ii) production processes that induce residual stresses
[9]. Moisture absorption, the chemical shrinkage of the matrix and a variation in the coefficient of thermal expansion induce residual stresses in polymer composites. Researchers have also shown that residual stresses can initiate failure in a composite material due to matrix cracking
[10]. The influence of matrix cracking can lead to a dangerous failure, especially when the material is under loading conditions. Both compressive and tensile residual stresses are generated in composite materials. However, while compressive residual stresses help prevent cracks from spreading throughout the matrices, tensile residual stresses assist in the opening of micro-cracks in the polymer matrix
[11]. Other defects such as fibre waviness, delamination, warping and dimensional imbalance are also due to residual stresses
[12].
Many techniques have reportedly been used to reduce the effect of residual stresses in polymer composites. Process optimisation of cure cycle parameters such as dwell time, dwell temperature, dwell cycle and cooling rate can minimise residual stress during production
[13][14][15]. Shape memory alloys (SMAs) also reduce stress concentration in FRP matrices. SMAs are novel metallic materials that can undergo reversible solid to solid change in a phase when subjected to thermal or mechanical loading that can cause sizeable inelastic strain
[16]. They are generally available in the form of a wire with a diameter below 200 µm
[17] and can be embedded in various configurations, as shown in
Figure 1. SMAs offer other vital properties such as impact damage control, crack closure and shape morphing. Nevertheless, SMAs induce fibre misalignment and can create an uneven stress distribution in a composite
[17].
Figure 1. Integration of SMA into a Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Composite.
Similarly, the electron beam curing technique composite can also reduce stress concentration
[18]. The technique involves generating free radicals from a high-energy electron accelerator that propagates the polymerisation and crosslinking reaction at room temperature. Since the curing temperature is kept below the traditional thermal curing process temperature, the residual stress generated using an electron beam will be lowered
[19]. Moreover, high processing electron beam curing results in an increased production rate and low shrinkage compared to that of conventional thermally cured composites
[20]. To utilise the electron beam curing process, cationic initiators are required. Hence, the initiators—that are primarily Lewis or Bronsted acids—react when exposed to high energy electron irradiation. However, a high initiator concentration can lead to a thermal degradation of the polymer matrix, while excess irradiation can damage the fibre strength
[21].
Despite their positive influences, electron beam cured composites cannot replicate some of the characteristics of thermally cured composites (high fracture toughness and inter-laminar shear strength)
[20]. Similarly, expanding monomers have reportedly been used as anti-shrinkage in composite materials
[22]. The polymerisation reaction of the polymer matrices results in a volumetric shrinkage of the matrices during the curing stage. The addition of the expanding polymer gives rise to volumetric expansion, thereby reducing volumetric shrinkage and residual stress
[23][24]. The expanding monomers can also reduce the modulus and initiate the transverse cracking of composite materials
[9]. Compared to the techniques mentioned above concerning the cost and simplicity, fibre-prestressing is relatively more acceptable.
3. Fibre-Prestressing Technique
There has been growing interest in improving the mechanical performance of FRP composites by minimising the induced stress without increasing the mass or dimension of the composite
[8]. Since improving the composite performance increases the production cost, improving the production technique of composites through fibre-prestressing is a possible way of mitigating the cost
[9]. Fibre-prestressing has been discovered by researchers as a productive method of reducing the effect of residual stresses in composite materials during production
[25][26][27].
Fibre-prestressing can be achieved elastically or viscoelastically. The elastically prestressed polymer matrix composite (EPPMC) is achieved by subjecting the fibre material to the applied load and maintaining the load throughout the curing cycle of the polymer composite
[28][29]. The load is released after the cooling and solidification of the composite at ambient temperature. Subsequently, the prestressed fibres tend to return to their initial length, generating compressive stresses in the matrix. These compressive stresses reduce the detrimental effect of the tensile residual stresses induced during the curing process
[29]. In addition, the viscoelastically prestressed polymer matrix composite (VPPMC) is formed by subjecting polymeric fibres to a tension load, which introduces creep stress, and then removing the load before moulding the fibre to the polymer matrix. After the curing stage, prestressed fibres tend to return to their initial length, thereby creating compressive stresses that counterbalance the effect of induced tensile residual stresses
[28].
3.1. Elastically Prestressed Polymer Matrix Composite (EPPMC)
The fibres are prestressed by subjecting them to a force lower than the elastic limit of the fibre and maintaining this force throughout the curing cycle of the composite. After curing, the force is removed, and the fibres tend to return to their original states. Compressive stresses are developed within the solidified matrix due to the bonding of the prestressed fibre with the polymer matrix
[30].
3.2. Viscoelastically Prestressed Polymer Matrix Composite (VPPMC)
The technique involves using polymeric fibres to generate compressive stress in a composite material through the viscoelastic recovery process
[31][32]. The fibres are prestressed by applying a load over a while to induce creep. After removal of the load, the fibres undergo a time-dependent elastic recovery. When the prestressed fibres are embedded in the polymer matrix and subjected to curing, the elastic recovery with the surrounding polymer matrix continues, thereby imparting compressive stresses that counterbalance the tensile residual stresses generated in the composite matrix
[20]. Because the fibre stretching and moulding operations can be carried out independently, the technique offers flexibility in the geometry of the manufactured composite
[33]. Based on previous studies, VPPMC can be classified into cellulose-fibre-based VPPMC (CFVPPMC) and synthetic polymeric fibre-based VPPMC (SPFVPPMC). CFVPPMC contain prestressed cellulose fibres predominantly from natural plants such as kenaf, sisal, flax, bamboo, jute, wheat straw, ramie and eucalyptus. Natural fibres are biodegradable and cheap and have a low density.
Table 1 show physicomechnical properties of some natural and synthetic fibres commonly used in PMC.
Table 1. Physicomechanical properties of some commonly used fibres.
3.3. Mechanical Properties of Prestressed PMC
Compared to other enhancing techniques, both of the two prestressing methods have shown their significance in improving the mechanical performance of composite material without increasing the mass or section dimension. Table 2 provides up-to-date findings and results of previous studies on fibre-prestressing techniques.
Table 2. Reviews on fibre-prestressed PMC.
3.4. Residual Stresses Measurement
The continuous advancement in the development of composite materials has drawn more attention to prediction and measuring the distribution and sizes of residual stresses because the behaviour of composite materials is greatly influenced by these factors
[56][57]. Residual stress development in the composites cannot be negligible; therefore, these can result in failure, especially when the tensile stresses generated become greater than the critical tensile strength of the material
[58]. At this stage, microcracking can occur, thereby exposing the fibres to chemical and microbial attacks. Due to the nonlinear behaviour of composite material, it is difficult to measure some residual stresses that may result in material failure
[59]. However, the effective measurement will reduce material failure and further enhance the research in the development of predictive control of residual stresses in composite material.
The measurement of residual stresses in the composite material can be achieved by modelling the entire production process or through the observation and measurement of the phenomena resulting in residual stress generation in a material. The latter method can be achieved through destructive and non-destructive testing. Table 3 highlights the difference between destructive and non-destructive testing techniques. The methods that are regarded as destructive typically require cutting, slitting or drilling operations to relieve the residual stresses. Afterwards, residual stresses are estimated by considering the dimensional changes that occurred. Table 4 shows some destructive and non-destructive testing methods that are commonly used to determine residual stresses in composite materials.
Table 3. Difference between destructive and non-destructive testing.
It is a common phenomenon to employ ultrasound waves in the detection of faults in engineering materials
[60], but they may also be used to quantify applied and residual loads
[61]. To effectively assess stress levels in a material, it is necessary to precisely measure the time-of-flight change of an ultrasonic wave travelling between the stressed and unstressed areas of that material. To obtain an absolute measurement of stress, the time-of-flight measurement in the stressed material is compared to that in the unstressed material. The method has the advantage of measuring high-magnitude residual stresses. The measuring procedure is fast and tri-axial residual stresses can be measured
[61].
Table 4. Common destructive and non-destructive test methods used in the calculation of residual stresses in composites.
DT: Destructive testing, SDT: Semi-destructive testing, NDT: Non-destructive testing.
4. Potential Applications and Prospects
Fibre-reinforced materials are used for many engineering applications where high mechanical properties are required. The use of carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer composites may reduce the weight of the materials up to 70% compared to steel
[75]. Therefore, exploring such materials in making aeroplane and car parts provides the potential for minimising fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emission. Due to the high-impact energy absorption behaviour, prestressed fibre polymer composites can be used for ballistic protection in armours, vests and automobiles. Kevlar-based polymer matrix composites are materials used for ballistic protection
[76]. It is well known that prestress induces an energy-absorbing mechanism at the fibre–polymer matrix interface
[32], thereby increasing the impact absorption of the composite material.
Crashworthiness is an automobile’s capacity to protect its occupants from severe injury or death in the event of a given number of collisions. It is a quantitative assessment of a structure’s ability to protect its passengers in survivable crashes
[77]. It is an essential factor that needs to be considered in selecting the material for vehicular structural assembly
[78]. Material crashworthiness is characterised in terms of its energy absorption capacity (EAC). Generally, polymer composites have a high EAC compared to metals, and they can release deformation absorption energy during impact
[79]. Prestressed fibres enhance the energy absorption capability of composite materials
[52]. Moreover, the application of EPPMC and VPPMC technology in fibre-reinforced concrete development can enhance the resistance to crack propagation in a concrete structure. Bistable composite materials, which are often utilised in the aerodynamic control of aircraft and wind turbine blades, have drawn growing attention in recent years. They can be effectively manufactured utilising prestressed fibre technology
[33]. The emerging developments will be toward alternate fibre materials, hybridisation, process optimisation and the use of a cost-effective fibre-prestressing technique.