Title: Comparative Study of Mechanical Performance of Microwave-Cured and Autoclave-Cured Carbon/Epoxy Composites

Authors: N. Pundhir, M. Heskin, W. Luo, K. Chandrashekhara, L. Wilcox, and K. Donnell

DOI: 10.33599/nasampe/c.24.0314

Abstract: The unique combination of properties offered by carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites has led to their widespread adoption in aerospace, automotive, and other industries due to their high specific stiffness and strength properties. The present study investigates the potential of vacuum-assisted microwave curing for carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites which presents several advantages over traditional autoclave curing methods. Microwave curing offers reduced cycle times, volumetric heating, enhanced safety, and lower energy consumption. This comprehensive approach evaluates the feasibility and efficacy of vacuum-assisted microwave curing for carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites by comparing the manufactured composites against traditional autoclave composites. Mechanical properties and microstructural characteristics were measured and examined to accomplish this. In the present work, industrially available IM7/Cycom 5320-1 unidirectional prepreg with 33% resin by weight and a fiber area weight of 145 g/m2 is employed to manufacture the laminated composite. A sixteen-layer symmetric cross-ply ([0⁰/90⁰]4s) and quasi-isotropic ([45⁰/90⁰/-45⁰/0⁰]2s) laminated composites are manufactured using a custom-built microwave curing chamber. Mechanical characterization of the microwave-cured composite is conducted through uniaxial tensile and flexural tests, with subsequent comparison to autoclave-cured samples. Optical microscopy is employed to estimate the quality of the manufactured samples. The results obtained from this study support advancements in composite manufacturing processes, particularly in the aerospace and automotive sectors.

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Conference: CAMX 2024 | San Diego CA

Publication Date: 2024/9/9

SKU: TP24-0000000314

Pages: 10

Price: $20.00