Cohades, AmaelMichaud, Veronique2017-10-092017-10-092017-10-09201710.1016/j.compstruct.2017.08.050https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/141143WOS:000410632800035Damage recovery after low-velocity impact has been assessed in woven E-glass fibre-reinforced polymer composites with an epoxy matrix and a blend of epoxy and 25 vol% of poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL). Impact was carried out at three energy levels (8.5, 17, 34 J) and composites with epoxy-PCL blends demonstrated similar energy absorption capacity as compared to pure epoxy composites even though the extent of damage (quantified by C-scans and optical microscopy) was higher. Ultimate compressive residual strength of the modified composites was, for the different impact energy levels, 23-33% lower as compared to unmodified composites. Healing efficiency after a thermal mending cycle at 150 degrees C for 30 min has been quantified using three complementary characterization methods; impact damage could be recovered from 20% to 100% depending on the impact energy level. These modified matrix composites are thus able to fully recover low-velocity impact damage at energy levels often met in real structures. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Self-healing materialsFiber reinforced polymersPolycaprolactoneImpact testingCompressive residual strengthtext::journal::journal article::research article