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Experimental analysis and simulation of flow through multi‐layer fiber reinforcements in liquid composite molding
Author(s) -
Diallo M. L.,
Gauvin R.,
Trochu F.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.10097
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , composite number , molding (decorative) , reinforcement , porosity , flow (mathematics) , permeability (electromagnetism) , transfer molding , mold , glass fiber , mechanics , membrane , biology , genetics , physics
Liquid composite molding (LCM) is a process in which a reactive fluid is injected into a closed mold cavity with preplaced reinforcement. Combined layers of different permeabilities are often used in LCM, which creates through thickness and inplane porosity and permeability variations. These inhomogeneities may influence the flow front profile in the thickness direction. To investigate the effect of the through thickness inhomogeneities, mold filling experiments were performed using preforms containing layers of two different fiber architectures. Aqueous corn syrup solutions were injected into a tempered glass mold containing the reinforcement stack. The progress of the flow front at various locations within the reinforcement was measured by an electrical conductivity technique based on the insertion of small wires between the reinforcement layers. Experimental data reveal the details of the flow front shape as the fluid penetrates the preform. Using these data, a model is proposed to calculate the overall in‐plane permeability of the preform. Numerical simulations of the flow front progression performed with the computer software RTMFLOT developed in our laboratory are compared to the experimental flow front for various stacking arrangements. Results show good agreement between simulations and experiments and demonstrate the capability of the software to simulate multi‐layer flow process.