Abstract: To investigate the effect of ply count on the bending performance of graphene oxide-carbon fiber (GO-CF) reinforced composites, specimens with 3 to 7 plies were prepared using vacuum impregnation hot-pressing process system. Based on a multi-scale analysis approach, a representative volume element(RVE) model was established using DIGIMAT software, and three-point bending finite element simulation was performed using ANSYS, followed by experimental validation. The results indicate that as the ply count increases from 3 to 7, the bending strength of the material increases from 157.18 MPa to 226.62 MPa, representing an improvement of 44.17%. The maximum error between the simulated and experimental results is 8.22%, demonstrating the high predictive accuracy of the RVE model. The increase in ply count raises the total mass of GO and CF, improves resin infiltration, and strengthens the interfacial bonding performance, thereby improving the macroscopic bending performance of the material. By integrating a specific preparation process with multi-scale finite element simulation, this study validates the reliability of the RVE model, reveals the mechanism by which the ply count influences microstructure and bending performance of composites, and provides a theoretical basis for the ply design of such composites.

Key words: graphene oxide-carbon fiber reinforced composites, ply count, finite element simulation, three-point bending