Modeling the progressive damage of cryogenic microdroplet tests using a temperature‐friction cohesive zone model.

The fiber/resin interfacial mechanical properties in low‐temperature environments are crucial for composite materials, and a temperature‐friction cohesive zone model is proposed in this paper. This model combines the temperature effect, the interfacial friction effect, and the interfacial debonding. The mechanical characteristics of the fiber/matrix interface are described using this model. The proposed model has been implemented in ABAQUS using the VUMAT subroutine. To verify this model, microdroplet debonding experiments were conducted at temperatures 298, 193, and 77 K. The results of the simulation and the experiment matched well. The proposed model takes temperature differences as a parameter and can characterize the interfacial mechanical response at different temperatures. In addition, the temperature, friction, interface parameters, and microdroplet size effects on the mechanical properties of the fiber/matrix interface were investigated. The results show that interfacial friction and temperature differences have a significant impact on the interfacial mechanical properties. The microdroplet size also has an influence on interfacial shear strength. Highlights: A temperature‐friction cohesive zone model is proposed.Cryogenic microdroplet debonding tests were conducted.The finite element method results are stable and close to the regression line of tests.The temperature difference changes the stress state of the interface.The interfacial sliding friction force has a large dispersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]