Thick-section composites (TSC) are extensively demanded in many fields, such as aerospace, wind energy, and oil and gas industries. However, the manufacturing process of thick-section thermoset composites (TSSC) encounters significant complexities, such as variations of nonuniform resin flow, exothermal reaction and curing, and dimensional stability through the thickness direction. These process-related nonuniformities are expected to result in through-thickness gradients of mechanical properties and curing-induced deformations, leading to undesirable residual stresses and damage. This chapter introduces the application of TSC and issues related to its manufacturing processes. Methods of TSC are examined and analyzed. Fundamental characteristics of curing kinetics, thermal transfer, and residual stress in TSC will be explained. Research of detailed experiments will be referred for readers for further studies.
Thick-Section Epoxy Composites