Plenary Speaker

Abstract: Additively manufactured continuous fibre-reinforced composites display promising mechanical properties, making them a viable option for various engineering applications including aerospace and automotive. However, they face challenges such as relatively weak interlayer bonding and low strength compared with composites fabricated by traditional methods. Therefore, it is imperative to improve the mechanical performance of additively manufactured continuous fibre-reinforced composites (CFRCs). This paper presents an experimental investigation into the effects of nitrogen-purging (N₂-purging) during printing and annealing after printing on the tensile performance of additively manufactured CFRCs. Tensile tests were conducted on the Onyx reinforced with three different continuous fibre filaments, namely carbon fibre filaments (CFF), glass fibre filaments (GFF), and Kevlar fibre filaments (KFF). It was found that N₂-purging and post-annealing had different effects on the tensile properties of various CFRCs. Particularly, N₂-purging, post-annealing and their combination enhanced both the Young’s modulus and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of KFF/Onyx specimens. Detailed microstructural and fracture surface analyses were performed to investigate the governing failure mechanisms. Additionally, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were also carried out to unveil the thermal behaviour and crystal structures affecting the mechanical properties of CFRCs.

Biography: Prof. Dong Ruan is currently the Chair for the Department of Mechanical and Product Design Engineering at Swinburne University of Technology. She obtained her Bachelor and Master degrees from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and PhD from Swinburne University of Technology. She has worked at Swinburne since 2005. Her research interests include: (1) additive manufacturing of continuous fibre reinforced composite materials and structures; (2) characterisation of the mechanical properties of various materials at high strain rates; (3) evaluation of the mechanical response of structures (such as multi-layered panels and tubes) under dynamic loadings. She has published over 270 academic papers with over 10,000 citations. Dong is Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia (FIEAust). She is an Associate Editor of Engineering Structures (Q1 journal) and an Editorial Advisory Board member of International Journal of Impact Engineering (Q1 journal), and -Walled Structures (Q1 journal). She received two national awards: Eureka Prize in 2013 as a team member of DMTC's Armour Applications Program in the Safeguarding Australia category and AGM Michell Medal from the Institution of Engineers Australia in 2022.