Impact Strength of Adhesive Joints of Pre-Impregnated Composite Elements

Composite materials’ contribution to the construction of manned and unmanned aircraft continues to grow and, together with the increased use of these materials, there is a growing need to develop an optimal method of joining composite components and carrying out repairs following operational damage. One such method is bonding by means of adhesive bonds, many of whose properties are already quite well known. However, relatively little is known about the impact strength of adhesive joints in general, including adhesive joints of composite components. This paper presents a concept for conducting such tests using adhesive lap joints. The sample pieces were cut from a 9-layer, 2 mm thick composite panel made with an autoclave technique. The results show that the lowest impact strength and shear strength occurred for adhesive joints made with an epoxy adhesive with the highest Young’s modulus. The best results were obtained for the adhesive whose joints became destroyed in equal proportions in a cohesive–adhesive manner.