Effects of woven structure and impact mode on the low-velocity impact properties and fractography of bamboo-textile-reinforced polymer composites

Bamboo-fiber-reinforced polymers have gained popularity in numerous industries because of their mechanical properties, lightweight, and ecological benefits. In this study, to determine the effects of textile structure on the impact resistance performance of bamboo-textile-reinforced polymers (BTRPs), we evaluated three impact modes: simple support beam (SSB), drop weight, and Charpy impact. We then used 3D X-ray scanning to determine the effects of the textile structure and impact modes on the microscopic fracture and crack development. The results indicated that the woven structure allowed for energy transmission in all directions during the drop weight impact test. During the SSB impact test, the large quantity of bamboo tows parallel to the major axis of the specimen increased the absorbed energy. When additional layers were added in the loading direction, the deflection of the entire specimen decreased, thus leading to lower absorbed energy. According to 3D X-ray images and quasi-static bending fracture results, similar fracture patterns appeared on dynamic and static loaded specimens. Consequently, the energy required for internal fracture and the strain energy of deflection are the two significant reasons that enable the excellent impact resistance performance of BTRPs.