Development of Out of Autoclave Curing Process for CFRP

Abstract

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are widely used for structure applications due to their very high specific strength and specific stiffness properties over conventional metals and alloys. Autoclave processing is one of the well-established manufacturing techniques to achieve dimensional accuracy of the complex shaped components. However, autoclave process requires large curing cycle time and has higher energy consumption. Therefore, to decrease the energy consumption and to increase the productivity of CFRP out of autoclave processes are more suitable. Due to this out of autoclave processes are developed such as microwave-convection, microwave, heat transfer fluid, elector beam, and laser curing, etc. The objective of this project is to manufacture CFRP components using microwave-convection, only convection and only microwave curing process in a microwave convection oven. The mechanical properties such as tensile strength, compressive strength, ILSS strength, fiber volume fraction and flexural strength are measured and compared of the three process. The SEM images have been taken to know the fiber and resin bonding in the cured specimens by using microwave-convection, only convection, and only microwave curing process. In the SEM test, the images at x500 and x1000 magnification have been taken for all curing process. The DSC test for microwave-convection, convection, and microwave cured samples has been performed by using ASTM D 3418 standards. From the results obtained, only convection process of manufacturing CRPF is better than microwave convection and only microwave curing process.