Abstract
Co-cured vacuum assisted resin infusion process (co-VARI process), which combined vacuum assisted resin infusion (VARI) with prepreg vacuum bag only process (VBO), was adopted to fabricate T-shaped stiffened skin with non-crimp fabric (NCF) stiffener and prepreg skin. During compaction stage of co-VARI process, prepreg resin impregnated fiber fabric under elevated temperature and vacuum pressure. This phenomenon was characterized by fluorescent micrographs with different holding temperature and time. Its influences on processing quality and mechanical performance for co-VARI stiffened skin with different filler materials at triangular region were further analyzed by optical micrographs and pull-off test, respectively. The results show that increasing holding temperature and prolonging holding time can promote prepreg resin impregnation in fiber fabric. Moderate prepreg resin impregnation is favorable to reduce resin rich region and increase fiber volume fraction at prepreg-fabric interface. Moreover, prepreg resin impregnation effect plays significant roles on pull-off performance for co-VARI stiffened skin with fabric filler but has negligible influences on specimens with prepreg filler. In addition, compared with stiffened skin with fabric filler, superior processing quality and pull-off performances are achieved for co-VARI stiffened skin with prepreg core filler. These results are helpful to optimize processing procedures and fabricate composite structure by co-VARI process.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Liang L, Wan Z Q, Yang C. Aeroelastic optimization on composite skins of large aircraft wings. Sci China Tech Sci, 2012, 55: 1078–1085
Yang W D, Li Y. Sound absorption performance of natural fibers and their composites. Sci China Tech Sci, 2012, 55: 2278–2283
Yi X S, Cheng Q F, Liu Z Z. Preform-based toughening technology for RTMable high-temperature aerospace composites. Sci China Tech Sci, 2012, 55: 2255–2263
Pan J L, Yuan F, Luo M, et al. Effect of composition on flexural behavior of engineered cementitious composites. Sci China Tech Sci, 2012, 55: 3425–3433
Huang C K. Study on co-cured composite panels with blade-shaped stiffeners. Compos Part A-Appl Sci, 2003, 34: 403–410
Mahfuz H, Majumdar P, Saha M, et al. Integral manufacturing of composite skin-stringer assembly and their stability analyses. Appl Compos Mater, 2004, 11: 155–171
Sheu C H, Shinazu D M, Kane D M. Co-cured vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding manufacturing method. US Patent. US 2004/0051214 A1, 2004
Husmann C H, Sheu C H, Shinazu D M. Co-cured resin transfer molding manufacturing method. US Patent. US 7374715 B2, 2008
Schwartz M. Innovations in materials manufacturing, fabrication, and environmental safety. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2010. 507–508
Xu W W, Gu Y Z, Li M, et al. Co-curing process combining resin film infusion with prepreg and co-cured interlaminar properties of carbon fiber composites. J Compos Mater, 2014, 48: 1709–1724
Ma X Q, Gu Y Z, Li M, et al. Properties of carbon fiber composite laminates fabricated by coresin film infusion process for different prepreg materials. Polym Compos, 2013, 34: 2008–2018
Ma X Q, Yang Z J, Gu Y Z, et al. Manufacture and characterization of carbon fiber composite stiffened skin by resin film infusion/prepreg co-curing process. J Reinforc Plast Compos 2014, 33: 1559–1573
Kaps R, Herbeck L, Herrmann A. Hybrid fabrication route-cost efficient CFRP primary airframe structure. In: 25th International Congress of the Aeronautical Sciences, Hamburg, September, 2006
Fratta C D, Danzi M, Gabathuler V, et al. Approach to optimizing a combined out-of-autoclave (OOA) prepreg/liquid composite molding (LCM) process for integrated structures. SAMPE J, 2012, 48: 40–46
Wellhausen C, Leistner W, Drechsler K. An introduction to combined prepreg and infusion processing. In: Proceeding of SAMPE Technical Conference, Long Beach, 2011
Aoki Y, Nagao Y, Takeda S I, et al. Integral fabrication of composite fuselage structure using VaRTM prepreg hybrid process. In: Proceedings of SAMPE Europe 32nd International Technical Conference, Paris, 2011
Greenhalgh E, Lewis A, Bowen R, et al. Evaluation of toughening concepts at structural features in CFRP—Part I: Stiffener pull-off. Compos Part A-Appl Sci, 2006, 37: 1521–1535
Wang X M, Xie F Y, Li M, et al. Experimental investigation of the compaction and tensile strength of co-cured skin-to-stiffener structures. Appl Compos Mater, 2011, 18: 371–383
Wang J. Investigation of co-cured liquid composite molding and properties of composite laminates (in Chinese). Master Dissertation. Beijing: Beihang University, 2012. 30
Robitaille F, Gauvin R. Compaction of textile reinforcements for composites manufacturing. II: Compaction and relaxation of dry and H2O-saturated woven reinforcements. Polym Compos, 1998, 19: 543–557
Tackitt K D, Walsh S M. Experimental study of thickness gradient formation in the VI process. Mater Manuf Process, 2005, 20: 607–627
Yenilmez B, Senan M, Sozer E M. Variation of part thickness and compaction pressure in vacuum infusion process. Compos Sci Technol, 2009, 69: 1710–1719
Vijayaraju K, Mangalgiri P D, Dattaguru B. Experimental study of failure and failure progression in T-stiffened skins. Compos Struct, 2004, 64: 227–234
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ma, X., Gu, Y., Li, M. et al. Investigation of carbon fiber composite stiffened skin with vacuum assisted resin infusion/prepreg co-curing process. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 57, 1956–1966 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-014-5660-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-014-5660-8