Premium
Monitoring of lamination processes in an autoclave with fiber‐optic infrared spectroscopy
Author(s) -
Ge Zhengfang,
Brown Chris W.,
Brown Michelle
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1995.070560604
Subject(s) - materials science , polymer , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , curing (chemistry) , lamination , absorbance , epoxy , composite material , polyimide , infrared spectroscopy , infrared , optical fiber , thermosetting polymer , spectroscopy , optics , chemistry , organic chemistry , physics , layer (electronics) , quantum mechanics
Curing reactions of certain laminates involve a series of chemical structure changes which occur with increasing temperature and/or pressure. This paper describes the use of a midinfrared chalcogenide fiber to monitor the lamination of polymer prepregs in an autoclave. The fiber optic was used both as a wave guide and as a sensing element for acquiring evanescent wave spectra. The spectra were measured by embedding the fiber optic in a polymer prepreg package. The polymer prepregs studied include epoxy, polyimide, and bismaleimide triazine (BT) resins. The degree of cure and an understanding of the kinetic processes were obtained from the absorbance changes in specific bands. This in situ sampling technique demonstrates a new area of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for following the formation of polymeric bonds. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.