Title: Cure Process Modeling and Characterization of Composites Using In-Situ Dielectric and Fiber Optic Sensor Monitoring

Authors: Muthu Elenchezhian, Ryan Enos, Noah Martin, Suruchi Sen, Dianyun Zhang, Nikos Pantelelis

DOI: 10.33599/nasampe/c.22.0141

Abstract: Liquid Composite Molding (LCM) techniques including the Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) and Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) are gaining significant importance for fabricating aerospace and automotive composite parts owing to the low investment costs. During the curing process, the resin undergoes a property change due to cross-linking of polymers, where it transitions from the liquid state to the solid-state. Further during the cooling process, there is a change in the glass transition temperature, resulting in residual stress and strains. The residual strain and deformations induced during the curing of resin at high temperatures result in significant challenges to the final part shape and performance of the composite structure. This research presents a thermo-chemo-mechanical curing model for the liquid composite molding process, which is validated with the in-situ sensor monitoring data of the viscosity, temperature, and degree of cure from the dielectric sensors, and the thermal distribution of induced strains during the curing process from the fiber optic sensors. The viscoelastic curing model developed in ABAQUS constitutes of the resin cure kinetics, viscoelastic resin properties, and thermal and stress analysis components. A case study is performed for an angle bracket, where the resulting cure-induced stress deformation is observed and validated, and the spring-in angle of the bracket is predicted.

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Conference: CAMX 2022

Publication Date: 2022/10/17

SKU: TP22-0000000141

Pages: 14

Price: $28.00