Wang Qinglin

Effect of Heat Treatment on Curing Uniformity of Fiber Composite Laminates

In recent years, the applications of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites have become more and more extensive1. However, one of the problems which restrict a wide range of applications applied in these fields is the residual stress and the curing deformation induced during the curing process, which directly influence the mechanical property and dimensional stability of the final industrial products2-5. These defects are produced during the hot molding process. The most wildly used manufacturing methods cure fiber/resin composite materials mainly by thermal conductance. During the manufacturing processing, uneven temperature distribution and degree of cure distribution, which are strongly influenced by processing heat treatment, are two essential factors contributing to internal stress and curing deformation. They can affect the curing uniformity and thermal stress within the composite materials, and ultimately lead to declining of the quality of composite products. Thus, it is imperative to study the temperature distribution and degree of cure distribution within composites and discuss the effects of heat treatment on the uniformity of temperature and degree of cure fields. In addition to curing uniformity, curing time should also be considered because higher efficiency will be required expect higher quality of products.