Development of carbon prepreg/epoxy self-healing composites by inserting bio lumen carriers: A novel approach

The current study focused on abaca fiber lumens with a thermoset healing resin mechanism integrated into high-performance carbon prepreg composites. Self-healing composites with a fiber orientation of [0°/90°]_4s and similar fiber volume fractions were manufactured and tested using a compression after impact (CAI) test to assess the post-impact behavior. The experimental results showed that the healed composites had an improved restoration strength of 19.25% and were supported by micro analysis with no degradation effects owing to the presence of the healing carriers. The effect of reinforcing healing carriers (HC) improved the tensile and flexural strengths of carbon prepreg composites by 5.14 and 61.11%, respectively, and the alkali treatment enhanced the tensile/flexural modulus to 23.61 and 21.17%, respectively. Overall, the healing carriers effectively healed the damage to the carbon prepreg/epoxy composite after residual compression characteristics. The fracture toughness values of the self-healing composites were significantly higher than those of the pure composites.