Infrared thermography to impact damaging of composite materials

Composite materials are becoming ever more popular and being used in an increasing number of applications. This because, to meet the users' demand, it is possible to create a new material of given characteristics in a quite simple way by changing either the type of matrix, or reinforcement. Of course, any new material requires characterization for its appropriate exploitation. In this context, infrared thermography (IRT) represents a viable means since it is non-contact, non-intrusive and can be used either for non-destructive evaluation to detect manufacturing defects, or fatigue induced degradation, or else for monitoring online the response to applied loads. In this work, IRT is used to investigate different types of composite materials which are based on either a thermoset, or a thermoplastic matrix, which may be neat, or modified by addition of a percentage of a specific compatibilizing agent, and reinforced with carbon, glass, or jute fibers. IRT is used with a twofold function. First, to non-destructively evaluate, with the lock-in technique, materials before and after impact to either assure absence of manufacturing defects, or discover the damage caused by the impact. Second, IRT is used to visualize thermal effects, which develop when the material is subjected to impact. The obtained results show that it is possible to follow the material bending, delamination and eventual failure under impact and get information, which may be valuable to deepen the complex impact damaging mechanisms of composites.