3: Intermediate Materials Flashcards

1
Q

What is the purpose of the ‘intermediates’ process?

A

To convert raw fibres (and matrices if prepregs) into workable materials: mats, fabrics and prepregs

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2
Q

What affect does increasing the number of processing stages have on costs?

A

Costs increase

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3
Q

Bundle (multiple filaments) sizes are measured in “hex”. Define 1 hex

A

1 gram per kilometre (1g/1000m)

If aligned: Glass-roving, Carbon-tow
If twisted: Yarn

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4
Q

What are some advantages of using yarn fibre bundles compared to aligned bundles?

A

-Reduced risk of bundle falling apart and fibre breakage
-More circular cross-section

However, reduces axial properties and costs more

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5
Q

List some properties of fibre mats

A

-Flat sheets (usually glass fibres)
-Chopped or continuous fibres
-Polymer binded (to stabilise the mat structure)
-Random fibre orientation, resulting in isotropic properties (however directionality can be induced during design)
-Common matrices used are: Polyester or epoxy
-Fibre volume fraction <40%
-Low cost
-High industrial application

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6
Q

Describe the manufacture process of chopped strand mat (CSM)

A

-Fibre strands are chopped and deposited on a conveyer belt at a defined rate
-Polymer binder is sprayed onto the mat
-The binder is soluble in styrene
-Processed in hand laminating

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7
Q

Describe the manufacture process of continuous filament mat (CFM)

A

-Similar process to CSM, however molten glass is deposited instead of chopped matting
-Continuous fibres form loops
-Processed using hand laminating or liquid composite moulding

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8
Q

What are some advantages CFM offers compared to CSM?

A

-Better formability
-Washing resistance

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9
Q

List some properties of textile reinforcements

A

-Patterned fibre arrangement (architecture)
-Filaments arranged into tows (micro level)
-Tows arranged into fabric architecture (meso level)
-Homogenised effective properties of textile sheet (macro level)
-Fibre volume fractions >50%
-Anisotropic due to tow alignment (usually orthotropic)

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10
Q

Define a “unit cell”

A

-The smallest repetitive unit allowing a macroscopic textile patch to be generated through translation along weft and warp directions
-Analysis of a unit cell fabric is sufficient to determine material properties

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11
Q

Describe the “weaving process”

A

-A longitudinal warp yarn is raised/lowered to form gaps (in predefined patterns)
-A transverse weft yarn is drawn through the gaps and inserted over/under the warp yarns
-The weft yarn is pushed against the fell of the fabric by a reed
-The process repeats forming a woven fabric

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12
Q

List some common weave architectures

A

-Plain weave: 1x1 (high crimp, stable fabric)
-Twill weaves: 2x2, 3x1, ect…
-Satin weaves: 5x1, 4x1, 8x1 (low crimp, improved mechanical properties)
-Unidirectional weaves (unbalanced in yarn size and spacing)

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13
Q

What is crimp and what are some material by-products of it?

A

The “waviness” of the yarns (cohesion of yarn layers when high levels of interlacing)
-Through thickness properties increase
-In-plane properties decrease (compared to straight fibres)
-crimp proclivity varies with weave architecture

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14
Q

How do woven fabrics usually deform and what effect of material properties does this have?

A

Mainly in shear (fabric shear is known as “drape”)
-The yarn crossover points act as junctions, therefore both volume fraction and fibre orientation are affected (both depend on shear angle “alpha”)

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15
Q

Describe the purpose and properties of spread tow fabrics

A

-To improve mechanical properties due to a reduction in crimp at smaller thicknesses
-More expensive due to additional processing

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16
Q

Explain the manufacture process of Non-Crimp Fabrics (NFC)

A

Continuous process:
-Layers of aligned tows are laid up on a flat bed at defined orientations (eg. 45, 90, ect)
-Needle bars at the end of the bed stitch layers together with a sewing thread
-Layers are stitched together

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17
Q

What are the properties of knitted fabrics?

A

-Same knot pattern for fibre fabrics as knitting
-Better at fitting moulds
-Decreased mechanical properties

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18
Q

What is the test for how far a fabric can shear before wrinkling?

A

Picture frame shear test

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19
Q

What is the test for how easily fabric layers slide relative to each other or tool surface?

A

Fabric friction test

20
Q

What is the test for what compaction pressure is required to achieve a specified fibre volume fraction?

A

Fabric compression test

21
Q

Explain the picture frame shear test

A

-Shear frame mounted on a universal testing machine
-Cruciform specimen clamped in the frame
-Cross-head moves upwards at a constant speed
-Measure cross-head displacement and force at the load cell
-Works for bi-directional fabrics, yarns aligned with sides of frame (doesn’t work for multiaxial fabrics or random mats)

22
Q

Explain the Fabric Friction Test

A

-Aluminium table attached to universal testing machine
-Brick-shaped steel sled with defined mass connected to a cross-head via fishing line and “no friction” pulley
-Fabric layer is bonded to the sled/table or both
-Pull sled at constant speed
-Record pulling force and displacement to calculate the COF

23
Q

Explain the Fabric Compression Test

A

-Fabric specimen sandwiched between two flat steel compression plates
-top plate is adjusted to ensure the plates are parallel
-Compression force and Gap between the plates are measured
-Vf plotted against compaction pressure

Vf=mass/(densityareameasured height)
compaction pressure=Fc/A

24
Q

Explain a typical Thermoset Prepreg material

A

-Unidirectional tape or fabric pre-impregnated with partially cured (B-stage) resin system
-Usually carbon fibre & epoxy resin
-Limited storage life, so stored at low temps to minimise cure (-18 degrees)
-Able to conform to highly geometrically complex parts (when laid by hand, then autoclave cured)
-Can produce large low geometrically complex parts (when manufactured with ATL)

25
What are advantages of a Thermoset Prepreg material?
-Resin/fibre content can be accurately controlled during manufacture -High fibre contents can be achieved -Void content is low (good for mechanical properties), very few gaps
26
What is the main disadvantages of a Thermoset Prepreg material?
-Material cost is high
27
Explain the Solvent Dip thermoset prepreg production process
Solvent dip process: -Solvent added to resin to reduce viscosity -Dry reinforcement is dipped in solvent/resin mixture for impregnation -Solvent is evaporated in a drying oven -Protective backing film is applied to the prepreg sheet
28
Explain the Hot Melt thermoset prepreg production process
Hot melt process: -Dry reinforcement is deposited onto a backing film -Continuous resin film is produced from liquid resin -Resin film is deposited onto the dry reinforcement -Heat and pressure is applied to impregnate the dry reinforcement with liquified resin -Top backing film is applied and prepreg sheet is rolled up
29
What are the differences between the Hot Melt and Solvent Dip processes?
Hot Melt: -No additional solvent required -resin viscosity is higher than solvent process Solvent Dip: -Emission of volatiles -Additional cost for solvent
30
Explain a typical Thermoplastic Prepreg material
-Usually flat organosheets or continuous tapes with unidirectional reinforcement -Reinforcement is fully impregnated and consolidated -Low void content -Unlimited storage life at room temperature -Non-sticky surface (no backing films required) -Sheets/Tapes cannot be formed at room temperature (stiff) -Heat above matrix Tm to mould
31
Explain the Thermoplastic Prepreg Production process
-Dry reinforcement is sandwiched between 2 polymer sheets -Fed through a heater zone, thermoplastic melts -High compaction pressure (due to high viscosity of molten polymer) impregnates reinforcement with molten polymer -Composite solidifies in cooling zone and cut/rolled into sheets/tapes
32
Explain Commingled yarns
-Manufactured thermoplastic filaments (spinning of molten polymer) are integrated into the fabric tows -Unlimited storage life, and formable at room temperature -Thermoplastic filaments melt when heated and the matrix redistributes between the reinforcement fibres
33
What are suitable processes for Thermoplastic prepreg applications?
-Compression moulding -Automated thermoplastic tape placement
34
State a typical Bulk Moulding Compound (BMC) formulation by weight percentage
Resin: 0.22 Catalyst: 0.003 Mould release: 0.017 Pigment: 0.03 Filler: 0.53 Fibre: 0.2
35
What are typical properties of a Bulk Moulding Compound (BMC)?
-Matrix based thermoset resin reinforced with discontinuous fibres -Usually polyester resin with glass fibre reinforcement -Storage life limited (due to thermoset component) -Fibre volume fraction is typically low -Fibre length ~5mm-10mm -Low cost
36
How are Bulk Moulding Compounds (BMC) manufactured?
-Fibres, resin and other components are mixed in a z blade mixer -Fibres are pre-chopped -Filler added to increase viscosity of liquid compound -Resin is added in bulk or as a 'varnish' Processed using (both apply head to induce resin cure): -Compression moulding -Thermoset injection moulding
37
State some applications of Bulk Moulding Compounds (BMC)
-Electrical (switch & breaker housing) -Industrial (pump casings for chemical and food handling) -Sport (Golf club heads) -Automotive (water pumps, chain & rocker covers, manifolds)
38
What are typical properties of a Sheet Moulding Compounds (SMC)?
-Matrix based on thermoset resin reinforced with discontinuous fibres -Usually polyester resin with glass fibre reinforcement -Limited storage life (thermoset) -Similar to prepreg but for less demanding applications -Longer fibres than BMC (~25mm-50mm) -Higher volume fraction than BMC -Fibres mainly oriented in-plane
39
State a typical Sheet Moulding Compound (SMC) formulation by weight percentage
Polyester resin (matrix): 31% Thermoplastic resin (reduce shrinkage): 5% Organic peroxide (catalyst): 0.3% Zinc stearate (mould release agent): 1% Magnesium oxide (thickener): 2% Glass fibre (reinforcement fibres): 30% Calcium carbonate (filler): 31%
40
Explain the Sheet Moulding Compounds (SMC) production process
-Chopped dry fibres are deposited on a layer of resin paste (contains all components) -Covered with another layer of resin paste -Compaction pressure impregnates the reinforcement with molten polymer -Fibre orientation is limited to in-plane
41
What are Sheet Moulding Compounds (SMC) applications and the handling process?
-Automotive body panels -Starts as a wet slurry, thickening agents are added -Typically process in compression moulding -Heat is applied to induce resin cure -Suitable for high volume applications
42
What are typical properties of a Thermoplastic Compounds?
-Pellets containing discontinuous fibres -Unlimited storage life at rtp (thermoplastic) -Standard (short) fibre: <5mm, random orientations, compounded in an extruder -Long fibre thermoplastics: >10mm, fibres aligned with pellet axis, higher Vf, made by hot melt impregnation of rovings/tows -Fibre length reduces due to breakage during pellet processing
43
Explain the Standard Thermoplastic Pellet Production process
-Fibre and thermoplastic is chopped and fed through a heated extruder -Extruded filament is chopped to specified lengths (<5mm) with random fibre orientations
44
Explain the Long Thermoplastic Fibre Reinforced Production process
-Thermoplastic pellets are fed through a heated extruder -Impregnation die combines the dry fibre with extruded thermoplastic -Fibres are chopped to specified lengths (>10mm) with axially aligned fibres
45
What are suitable processes and applications for Thermoplastic Compounds?
(Heat for consolidation or injection, then cool to obtain rigid component) Suitable processes: -Compression moulding -Injection moulding Applications: -Geometrically complex components