Loris Giorgini

Delamination is the main responsible for structural failure of composites having a laminar structure. In the present work, polyamide (Nylon 66) nanofibers, even impregnated with uncrosslinked nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), are interleaved into epoxy‐based carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates with the aim to counteract the delamination phenomenon. The performance of nano‐modified composites using both the nanofibrous mat types, that is, Nylon 66 and NBR‐impregnated Nylon 66 membranes, is investigated. Mode I loading tests show a significant improvement of the interlaminar fracture toughness of rubber‐modified CFRPs, especially in the G I, R (up to +151%). The improvement in the G I, C is less pronounced, but still significant (up to +80%). The achieved results are very encouraging and pave the way to the use of such Nylon–NBR hybrid mats for hindering delamination.