Damage analysis of fiber reinforced resin matrix composites irradiated by CW laser

In this paper, the damage modes of the carbon fiber and the glass fiber reinforced epoxy or bakelite resin matrix composites irradiated by CW laser under different power densities were analyzed, and the changes of the microstructure and the tensile strength of the composites were also researched. When the resin matrix composites were radiated at a power density more than 0.1 kW/cm2, the matrix would be decomposed and the tensile properties of the radiated samples were lost over 30% while the carbon fiber hardly damaged and the glass fiber melted. When the power density of the laser was raised to 1 kW/cm2, the matrix burned violently and the carbon fiber cloth began to split with some carbon fiber being fractured, therefore, the fracture strength of the radiated sample lost over 80%. The hi