Evaluating addition of a membrane layer in vacuum infusion processing of fiber reinforced epoxy composites in terms of flexural properties and void content

Year 2017, Volume: 18 Issue: 2, 456 - 467, 30.06.2017

Abdullah Tuğrul Seyhan

https://doi.org/10.18038/aubtda.290884

Cited By: 1

Abstract

The effect of addition of a membrane layer in vacuum infusion process
was investigated with emphasis being placed on the flexural properties and void
content of the resulting composites. E-glass fiber and epoxy were,
respectively, used as filler and matrix constituents to produce the composites.
Conducting a facile TGA based methodology, fiber volume fraction, density, and
void content measurements were carried out on the samples taken from different zones
across the composite parts. Despite giving rise to the composite thickness, 16
% high compared to the part thickness produced by vacuum infusion without any membrane,
infusion with incorporation of the membrane layer resulted in a relatively high
composite fiber volume fraction with reduced void content at no expense of
compaction. At the vacuum port, flexural strength and modulus values of the
composites produced by membrane added vacuum infusion process (MAVIP) were found
to be, respectively, 11 and 8 % higher than those of the composites produced by
conventional vacuum infusion process (CVIP). On the other hand, at the inlet
port, composites produced by MAVIP exhibited 12 and 9 % high flexural strength
and modulus values compared to those produced by CVIP. Moreover, the
load-deflection response (P/d) of the samples taken from different zones along the parts was
correlated with respect to their length-to-width aspect ratio (L/b) based on the
plain strain analytical approach. Once L/b aspect ratio was greater than 6.5, plain
strain approach was found to converge to more definite beam modulus values,
regardless of the process used.   

Keywords

: A; Composite Materials, C; Mechanical Testing

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