Fiber composite material and preform and fan blade made therefrom

A preform comprising a polymer matrix, carbon fibers, and non-carbon fibers combined in a three dimensionally woven structure having yarns extending in the X, Y and Z directions, wherein the yarns extending in the Z direction comprise non-carbon fibers and the non-carbon fibers exclude glass fibers, have a strain to failure value greater than the strain to failure value of the carbon fibers and are present in an amount of 1 to 5 volume percent, based on the total fiber volume in the preform.

A fan blade for a jet engine, the fan blade comprising:

• a root connected to a blade portion, the blade portion including a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the root, the blade portion or both comprise a fiber composite and the fiber composite comprises carbon fibers, non-carbon fibers having a strain to failure value greater than the strain to failure value of the carbon fibers and a polymer matrix and further wherein the non-carbon fibers exclude glass fibers and are present in an amount of 1 to 5 volume percent, based on the total fiber volume in the fan blade.