Thermoplastic fibre stitching: a new self-healing method for carbon-epoxy composites

This paper presents an investigation into the delamination toughening and selfhealing properties of carbon-epoxy laminates using through-thickness stitches of mendable thermoplastic (poly[ethylene-co-(methacrylic acid)]). The effect of increasing stitch density on the improvement to the interlaminar fracture toughness and healing of mode I delamination cracks generated under static and fatigue interlaminar loads is determined. The self-healing and delamination toughening mechanisms of the mendable stitches are identified.