Scribd
Upload
122 views19 pages

Prepregs, SMC, Fiber Architecture

This document discusses fiber reinforced composites, including processes for incorporating fibers into a polymer matrix to create prepregs and sheet molding compounds (SMC). Prepregs are thin sheets with fibers impregnated with a polymer matrix like epoxy. SMC sheets contain randomly oriented discontinuous fibers premixed with a thermosetting resin like polyester or vinyl ester. The document describes manufacturing methods for prepregs and SMC, as well as factors that influence composite properties such as fiber content, density, void content, and fiber architecture.

Uploaded by

Sharath Pradeep
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
122 views19 pages

Prepregs, SMC, Fiber Architecture

This document discusses fiber reinforced composites, including processes for incorporating fibers into a polymer matrix to create prepregs and sheet molding compounds (SMC). Prepregs are thin sheets with fibers impregnated with a polymer matrix like epoxy. SMC sheets contain randomly oriented discontinuous fibers premixed with a thermosetting resin like polyester or vinyl ester. The document describes manufacturing methods for prepregs and SMC, as well as factors that influence composite properties such as fiber content, density, void content, and fiber architecture.

Uploaded by

Sharath Pradeep
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 19

Fiber Reinforced Composites

Prepregs, SMC, Fiber architecture


Incorporation Of Fibers Into Matrix
 Processes for incorporating fibers into a polymer matrix are divided into two
categories.

1. Fibers and matrix are processed directly into finished product or structure.
- Examples are filament winding & pultrusion.

2. Fibers are incorporated into matrix to prepare ready-to-mold sheets that can
be stored & later processed to form laminated structures by autoclave molding
or compression molding

 Ready-to-mold fiber-reinforced polymer sheets are available in two basic


forms, prepregs and sheet-molding compounds
Prepregs
These are thin sheets of fibers
impregnated with predetermined
amounts of uniformly distributed
polymer matrix.

Fibers may be in the form of continuous


rovings, mat, or woven fabric.

Epoxy is the primary matrix material in


prepreg sheets

The width of prepreg sheets may vary


from less than 25 mm to over 457 mm

Resin content in commercially available


prepregs is between 30% to 45% by
weight.
Prepreg Manufacturing
 Unidirectional fiber-reinforced
epoxy prepregs are manufactured
by pulling a row of uniformly
spaced fibers through a resin
bath containing epoxy resin
dissolved in an appropriate
solvent

 Solvent is used to control


viscosity of resin

 Fibers preimpregnated with liquid


resin are then passed through a
chamber in which heat is applied
in a controlled manner to advance
the curing reaction to the B-
stage.
 At the end of B-staging, the prepreg sheet is backed up with a release film or
waxed paper & wound around a take-up roll.

 The backup material is separated from the prepreg sheet before it is placed in
the mold to manufacture the composite part

 The normal shelf life (storage time before molding) for epoxy prepregs is 6–8
days at 23 deg C

 It can be prolonged up to 6 months or more if stored at 18 deg C


Sheet-molding Compounds
 SMC are thin sheets of fibers pre compounded with a thermoset resin
used in compression molding process

 Common thermoset resins for SMC sheets are polyesters & vinyl esters.

 Epoxies are not used due to longer cure time


Types of sheet-molding
compounds in current use are as
follows:
1. SMC-R
• It contains randomly
oriented discontinuous fibers
• Nominal fiber content is
indicated by two-digit
numbers after the letter R
• Eg. Nominal fiber content in
SMC-R30 is 30% by weight
2. SMC-CR
• It contains a layer of unidirectional continuous fibers on top of a layer of
randomly oriented discontinuous fibers

• Nominal fiber contents are usually indicated by two-digit numbers after the
letters C & R

• Eg. Nominal fiber contents in SMC-C40R30 are 40% by weight of unidirectional


continuous fibers and 30% by weight of randomly oriented discontinuous fibers.
3. XMC
• It contains continuous fibers arranged in an X pattern, where
the angle between interlaced fibers is between 58 & 78.

• Additionally, it may also contain randomly oriented


discontinuous fibers interspersed with the continuous
fibers
Manufacturing of Sheet-molding Compounds

 SMC-R and SMC-CR sheets are


manufactured on a sheet-molding
compound machine

Resin paste is prepared by mechanically


blending the various components

It is placed on two moving polyethylene


carrier films behind the metering blades.

Thickness of resin paste on each carrier


film is determined by vertical adjustment
of the metering blades.

Continuous rovings are fed into the


chopper arbor, which is commonly set to
provide 25.4 mm long discontinuous
fibers.
 Chopped fibers are deposited randomly on the bottom resin paste.

 For SMC-CR sheets, parallel lines of continuous strand rovings are fed on top of
the chopped fiber layer.

 After covering the fibers with top resin paste, carrier films are pulled through a
number of compaction rolls to form a sheet that is then wound around a take-up
roll.

 Wetting of fibers with the resin paste takes place at the compaction stage
Resin Impregnation

Incorporating fibers into high-viscosity thermoplastic resins and


achieving a good fiber wet-out are much harder than those in low-
viscosity thermoset resins.

Several fiber incorporation techniques are used to produce


thermoplastic prepregs.

These prepregs can be stored for unlimited time without any special
storage facility and, whenever required, stacked and consolidated into
laminates by the application of heat and pressure.


Fiber Content, Density, And Void Content
 Theoretical calculations for strength, modulus, and other properties of a fiber reinforced
composite are based on the fiber volume fraction in the material.

 Experimentally, it is easier to determine the fiber weight fraction wf, from which the
fiber volume fraction vf and composite density rc can be calculated:
 The fiber weight fraction can be experimentally determined by either
the ignition loss method (ASTM D2854) or the matrix digestion
method (ASTM D3171).
 During the incorporation of fibers into the matrix or during
the manufacturing of laminates, air or other volatiles may be
trapped in the material.

The trapped air or volatiles exist in the laminate as microvoids,


which may significantly affect some of its mechanical
properties.

A high void content (over 2% by volume) usually leads to lower


fatigue resistance, greater susceptibility to water diffusion, and
increased variation (scatter) in mechanical properties.
The void content in a composite laminate can be
estimated by comparing the theoretical density with
its actual density:
Fiber Architecture
Fiber architecture is defined as the arrangement of fibers in a
composite, which influences the properties & processing of the
composite

The characteristics of fiber architecture that influence the mechanical


properties include fiber continuity, fiber orientation, fiber
crimping, and fiber interlocking.

 During processing, matrix flow through the fiber architecture


determines the void content, fiber wetting, fiber distribution, dry area
and others in the final composite, which in turn, also affect its
properties and performance.

If continuous fibers are used, the fiber architecture can be one-
dimensional, two-dimensional, or three-dimensional.
 Fiber architecture helps to tailor the
structural performance of the composite
& produce a variety of structural shapes
and forms.

 In the one-dimensional architecture,


fiber strands (or yarns) are oriented
all in one direction.

 The unidirectional fibre orientation


produces highest strength & modulus in
the fiber direction, but much lower in
transverse direction.

 With proper orientation of fibers in


various layers, the difference in strength
and modulus values in different
directions can be reduced.
 The two-dimensional
architecture with continuous
fibers can be either
bidirectional or
multidirectional.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy