Effect of fiber architecture and CNT reinforcement on the mechanical behavior and formability of thermoplastic PE composites

Lightweight thermoplastics with improved mechanical performance and formability are critical for aerospace, defense, and automotive applications. Despite this, the coupled effects of nanoscale carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforcement and fiber architecture on formability-dominated deformation remain insufficiently explored. This study investigates polyethylene (PE) matrix fiber-reinforced composites manufactured with and without CNT modification to clarify these effects. Mechanical behavior was evaluated through tensile, flexural, hardness tests, while biaxial formability was assessed using the Erichsen test. Fracture mechanisms were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicate that CNT addition significantly improved glass fiber laminates, with peak forming loads increasing by up to 152% for plain weaves and 211% for twill weaves. In contrast, carbon fiber laminates showed only marginal improvements (≤5%), attributed to their inherently high interfacial efficiency. The CNT-reinforced twill carbon fiber composite achieved the highest tensile strength (240.32 MPa) and hardness (66.8 Shore D), while the CNT-reinforced plain glass composite exhibited the highest flexural strength (43.19 MPa). SEM observations revealed composites predominantly failed through fiber–matrix debonding, matrix plastic deformation, and fiber pull-out. Overall, the results show that optimizing fiber type, textile architecture, and CNT reinforcement enables PE-based composites with balanced strength, stiffness, and formability for multiaxial loading applications.