Electrospun short nylon 6 nanofibers to improve damage resistance of carbon composites

Carbon fiber composites are preferred structural materials due to their high specific strength and modulus. Laminated construction of carbon composites and anisotropic nature, though, leave them sensitive to external loading. Since a brittle matrix controls the properties in and out of plane direction, interlaminar resin-rich regions are particularly susceptible to matrix cracking. Such incipient damage eventually evolves into life-limiting fracture, such as delamination under Mode II loading.