Fiber Testing

Fiber reinforced composite materials are gaining more and more share of structural materials market with the maturation of composite manufacturing technologies. In addition, new fibers, both manmade and natural, with better properties are being developed. It is important to understand the performance of these fibers. Fiber testing encompasses a range testing from mechanical testing, optical testing, chemical testing depending on the fiber type and applications. Structural fibers like carbon, glass, and some natural fibers needs only mechanical and sometime chemical testing, while optical fibers need in addition optical properties.

Types of Testing

Structural fibers like carbon, glass, ceramic, polymer as well as natural fibers are tested in tension as single fiber or toes. Prepregs are tested in other modes like flexure, compression, torsion etc.

Capability – At TTL, we test carbon, glass, ceramic as well as polymer fibers like polyesters, aramids, and poly olefin fibers. We also have tested several natural fibers like cotton, flax, hemp, etc. We have capability to test singe fiber, toes, and fiber prepreg in tension, compression and shear mode. Occasionally it may be necessary to understand how the fibers bond to the matrix. We have the capability to evaluate this by either pulling or pushing a single fiber or a collection of fibers in a universal testing machine.

Some relevant standards:

• ASTM C1557 – Standard Test Method for Tensile Strength and Young’s Modulus of Fibers
• ASTM D3822 – Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Single Textile Fibers
• ASTM D4018 – Standard Test Methods for Properties of Continuous Filament Carbon and Graphite Fiber Tows