Composite Materials with the Coating to Detect Barely Visible Impact Based on the Retroreflective Film

A new method of indicating contact damage of composite materials, using a polymer retroreflective film (PRF) with micro-prisms, is proposed. Impact contact action leads to deformation of microprisms and with directed lighting allows seeing the place of impact in the form of a dark spot. In experimental studies, using STEF fibreglass as an example, the dependences of the spot diameter on the contact pressure up to 530 MPa were studied. An assessment of the residual strength and stiffness of a composite specimen-beam with a contact defect was obtained with three-point bending. It is shown that, during bending, the strength of STEF with contact defects decreases from 615 to 386 MPa. The data obtained allow to assess the danger of contact pressure by the known diameter of the dark spot on the PRF.