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Resin flow monitoring inside composite laminate during resin film infusion process
Author(s) -
Zhou Z.J.,
Li M.,
Gu Y.Z.,
Ma X.Q.,
Li Y.X.,
Jia L.J.,
Zhang Z.G.
Publication year - 2014
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.22711
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , epoxy , composite number , flow visualization , autoclave , fiber , flow (mathematics) , geometry , mathematics , metallurgy
In this article, a novel method of measuring resin flow front under vacuum condition is presented. The in situ monitoring system with metal hollow probe based on gas flow balance can be used in resin film infusion (RFI) process, where resin film is used and transverse flow is dominated along thickness direction of fiber preform. The diameter of the probe was chosen to increase the measuring accuracy, and the reliability of the method was evaluated by comparison of visualization experiment. Experimental results demonstrate that the method is suitable for monitoring resin flow in RFI process with and without autoclave, and can obtain the information about resin filling time, nonuniform flow front, and the permeability of fiber preform. Furthermore, by means of the established monitoring system, the influences of pressure and lay‐up sequence of carbon fiber fabric on epoxy resin flow during RFI process were investigated. In addition, resin flow pattern with changing viscosity of epoxy resin was studied. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:681–690, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers