Post-Curing Effects on Marine VARTM FRP Composite Material Properties for Test and Implementation

2005 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason J. Cain ◽  
Nathan L. Post ◽  
John J. Lesko ◽  
Scott W. Case ◽  
Yin-Nian Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vinyl Ester ◽  
Mechanical Analysis ◽  
Degree Of Conversion ◽  
Fatigue Performance ◽  
Static Properties ◽  
Degree Of Cure ◽  
Frp Composites ◽  
Frp Composite ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Term Performance

Structural composites are increasingly being utilized in many large naval and civil structures where it is vital that their long-term performance be predictable and their variability definable over the life of the structure. However, these properties may be influenced by the degree of cure of the resin, particularly for room-temperature-cured systems. Thus, this investigation defines the postcure effects on E-glass/vinyl-ester fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites manufactured using the vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) method, which are typical of those used by the US Navy for ship structures. The composites are differentiated by varying levels of postcure temperature and duration, and examined for the effects of advancing cure at various points in the time after postcure. Pseudo-quasi-isotropic [0/+45/90/−45/0]s and angle ply laminate [±45]2s samples from each level of postcure are examined at 1, 10, 30, 100, and 300 days after postcure in order to track strength, stiffness, failure strain, creep, and fatigue performance as functions of time. In parallel, the matrix polymer is inspected using FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) to directly assess the degree of conversion. Dynamic mechanical analysis and shrinkage measurements are also undertaken to assess the Tg and the amount of shrinkage undergone during post-curing, as well as the advancing of the level of cure during the prescribed aging time. Results suggest that the degree of conversion is limited to 80% for the vinyl-ester oligomer and 90–95% for styrene following a postcure of 93°C. It is observed that after 300 days of ambient storage the nonpostcured samples approach the degree of conversion exhibited by those postcured at 93°C, as measured by FTIR. Resin dominated quasi-static properties are greatly affected by the degree of cure, whereas fiber dominated properties are not. Where the degree of cure is comparatively low, viscoelastic properties cause greater changes in creep response as well as influencing fatigue performance.

Active Thermal Management of FRP Composites via Embedded Vascular Networks

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim Cole ◽  
Ian Bond ◽  
Andrew Lawrie
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Flexural Modulus ◽  
Coolant Fluid ◽  
Vascular Networks ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
Test Fixture ◽  
Frp Composites ◽  
Frp Composite ◽  
Thermal Chamber ◽  
The Matrix

Abstract Fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials are limited in high temperature applications by the matrix glass transition temperature, Tg. At and above this temperature, significant mechanical performance is lost, and degradation processes accelerated. This research explores the use of internal passages, or vascules, within the laminate to carry a coolant fluid, absorbing heat energy and cooling the material. A custom thermal chamber and four-point flexural test fixture were developed to perform in-situ thermo-mechanical testing. Vascular and non-vascular carbon/epoxy specimens were manufactured, containing arrays of four 1.1 mm diameter vascules. Specimens were exposed to temperatures from ambient to 170 °C (Tg = 200 °C). Flexural modulus varied little with temperature across all tests. Non-vascular specimens at 170 °C showed a reduction in ultimate strength of 21 % compared to under ambient conditions. The presence of vascules caused a small improvement in flexural modulus and strength, due to displacement of a small number of 0° fibre tows further from the neutral axis as a result of the manufacturing process. At 15 L·min−1 coolant flow, vascular specimens showed full retention of strength compared to non-vascular specimens at ambient, demonstrating the potential mechanical performance benefits.

scholarly journals Fabrication of Modified MMT/Glass/Vinylester Multiscale Composites and Their Mechanical Properties

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garima Mittal ◽  
Vivek Dhand ◽  
Ji Il Ryu ◽  
Kyong Yop Rhee ◽  
Hyeon-Ju Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Mechanical Analysis ◽  
Host Matrix ◽  
Composite Surface ◽  
Clay Particles ◽  
Frp Composites ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Mmt Clay ◽  
Low Charge ◽  
Multiscale Composites

Montmorillonite (MMT) may become a preferred filler material for fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites due to its high aspect ratio, large surface area, and low charge density. In the present paper, MMT/glass/vinylester multiscale composites are prepared with untreated and surface-treated MMT clay particles with an MMT content of 1.0 wt%. Effects of surface treatment on mechanical properties of MMT/glass/vinylester multiscale composites are investigated through tensile and bending tests, which revealed enhanced mechanical properties in the case of surface-treated MMT. Thermal properties are studied through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). X-Ray diffraction is performed to investigate the interaction between MMT and the matrix. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) is also performed for both untreated and surface-treated MMT. Furthermore, Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) is conducted to investigate the path of fracture propagation within the composite surface, showing that the surface-treated MMT based multiscale composite has better interactions with the host matrix than the untreated MMT multiscale composites. These composites with enhanced mechanical strength can be used for various mechanical applications.

The all-composite road bridge – a proposal for rapid urbanisation

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Siwowski ◽  
Aleksander Kozlowski ◽  
Leonard Ziemiański ◽  
Mateusz Rajchel ◽  
Damian Kaleta
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Fast Growing ◽  
Frp Composites ◽  
Frp Composite ◽  
Reinforced Polymer ◽  
Composite Bridge ◽  
Fibre Reinforced Polymer ◽  
Traditional Construction

<p>Technology and materials can help cities get smarter and cope with rapid urbanisation. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is one of the approaches applied in evaluation of material sustainability. Many significant LCA comparisons of innovative and traditional construction materials indicate that fibre- reinforced polymer (FRP) composites compare very favourably with other materials studied. As a proposal for rapid urbanisation, the FRP all-composite road bridge was developed and demonstrated in Poland. The paper describes the bridge system itself and presents the results of research on its development. The output of the R&amp;D project gives a very promising future for the FRP composite bridge application in Poland, especially for cleaner, resilient and more environmentally efficient infrastructure of fast-growing cities.</p>

scholarly journals Microtomographic Analysis of Impact Damage in FRP Composite Laminates: A Comparative Study

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Alemi-Ardakani ◽  
A. S. Milani ◽  
S. Yannacopoulos ◽  
L. Bichler ◽  
D. Trudel-Boucher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Composite Laminates ◽  
Impact Damage ◽  
Glass Fibers ◽  
Impact Testing ◽  
Frp Composites ◽  
Frp Composite ◽  
Flexural Testing ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
High Level ◽  
Tomographic Analysis

With the advancement of testing tools, the ability to characterize mechanical properties of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites under extreme loading scenarios has allowed designers to use these materials in high-level applications more confidently. Conventionally, impact characterization of composite materials is studied via nondestructive techniques such as ultrasonic C-scanning, infrared thermography, X-ray, and acoustography. None of these techniques, however, enable 3D microscale visualization of the damage at different layers of composite laminates. In this paper, a 3D microtomographic technique has been employed to visualize and compare impact damage modes in a set of thermoplastic laminates. The test samples were made of commingled polypropylene (PP) and glass fibers with two different architectures, including the plain woven and unidirectional. Impact testing using a drop-weight tower, followed by postimpact four-point flexural testing and nondestructive tomographic analysis demonstrated a close relationship between the type of fibre architecture and the induced impact damage mechanisms and their extensions.

The Impact Properties of a Polyurethane Composite Filled with Clay

2011 ◽  
Vol 197-198 ◽  
pp. 1100-1103
Author(s):  
Jian Li
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Mechanical Analysis ◽  
Impact Testing ◽  
Impact Properties ◽  
Polyurethane Composite ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Scanning Electron

A polyurethane/clay (PU/clay) composite was synthesized. The microstructure of the composite was examined by scanning electron microscopy. The impact properties of the composite were characterized by impact testing. The study on the structure of the composite showed that clays could be dispersed in the polymer matrix well apart from a few of clusters. The results from mechanical analysis indicated that the impact properties of the composite were increased greatly in comparison with pure polyurethane. The investigation on the mechanical properties showed that the impact strength could be obviously increased by adding 20 wt% (by weight) clay to the matrix.

Viscoelastic behavior of an epoxy resin during cure below the glass transition temperature: Characterization and modeling

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Courtois ◽  
Martin Hirsekorn ◽  
Maria Benavente ◽  
Agathe Jaillon ◽  
Lionel Marcin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glass Transition ◽  
Transition Temperature ◽  
Glass Transition Temperature ◽  
Epoxy Resin ◽  
Viscoelastic Behavior ◽  
Mechanical Analysis ◽  
Strain History ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Degree Of Cure ◽  
Model Predictions

This paper presents a viscoelastic temperature- and degree-of-cure-dependent constitutive model for an epoxy resin. Multi-temperature relaxation tests on fully and partially cured rectangular epoxy specimens were conducted in a dynamic mechanical analysis apparatus with a three-point bending clamp. Master curves were constructed from the relaxation test results based on the time–temperature superposition hypothesis. The influence of the degree of cure was included through the cure-dependent glass transition temperature which was used as reference temperature for the shift factors. The model parameters were optimized by minimization of the differences between the model predictions and the experimental data. The model predictions were successfully validated against an independent creep-like strain history over which the temperature varied.

scholarly journals Surface Modification of PET Fiber with Hybrid Coating and Its Effect on the Properties of PP Composites

Polymers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1726 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yapeng Mao ◽  
Qiuying Li ◽  
Chifei Wu
Keyword(s):  
Surface Modification ◽  
Bending Strength ◽  
Dip Coating ◽  
Mechanical Analysis ◽  
Single Fiber ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
Fiber Modification ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Pp Composites

Surface modification fundamentally influences the morphology of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers produced from abandoned polyester textiles and improve the compatibility between the fiber and the matrix. In this study, PET fiber was modified through solution dip-coating using a novel synthesized tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS)/KH550/ polypropylene (PP)-g-MAH (MPP) hybrid (TMPP). The PET fiber with TMPP modifier was exposed to the air. SiO2 particles would be hydrolyzed from TEOS and become the crystalline cores of MPP. Then, the membrane formed by MPP, SiO2 and KH550 covered the surface of the PET fiber. TMPP powder was investigated and characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). TMPP-modified PET fiber was researched by X-ray diffraction and SEM. Furthermore, tensile strength of single fiber was also tested. PET fiber/PP composites were studied through dynamic mechanical analysis and SEM. Flexural properties of composites were also measured. The interfacial properties of PET fiber and PP matrix were indirectly represented by contact angle analysis. Results showed that the addition of TEOS is helpful in homogenizing the distribution of PP-g-MAH. Furthermore, TMPP generates an organic-inorganic ‘armor’ structure on PET fiber, which can make up for the damage areas on the surface of PET fiber and strengthen each single-fiber by 14.4%. Besides, bending strength and modulus of TMPP-modified PET fiber-reinforced PP composite respectively, increase by 10 and 800 MPa. The compatibility between PET fiber and PP was also confirmed to be increased by TMPP. Predictably, this work supplied a new way for PET fiber modification and exploited its potential applications in composites.

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