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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Pultrusion is a versatile continuous high speed production technology allowing the production of fibre
reinforced complex profiles. Thermosetting resins are normally used as matrices in the production of
structural constant cross section profiles.
Although only recently thermoplastic matrices have been used in long and continuous fibre reinforced
composites replacing with success thermosetting matrices, the number of their applications is
increasing due to their better ecological and mechanical performance. Composites with thermoplastic
matrices offers increased fracture toughness, higher impact tolerance, short processing cycle time and
excellent environmental stability. They are recyclable, post-formable and can be joined by welding.
The use of long/continuous fibre reinforced thermoplastic matrix composites involves, however, great
technological and scientific challenges since thermoplastics present much higher viscosity than
thermosettings, which makes much difficult and complex the impregnation of reinforcements and
consolidation tasks. [1]
In this work continuous fibres reinforced thermoplastic matrix towpregs were produced using
equipment developed by the Institute for Polymers and Composites (IPC). The processing of the
towpregs was made by pultrusion, in a developed prototype equipment existing in the Engineering
School of the Polytechnic Institute of Porto (ISEP).
Different thermoplastic matrices and fibres raw-materials were used in this study to manufacture
pultruded composites for commercial applications (glass and carbon fibre/ polypropylene) and for
advanced markets (carbon fibre/Primospire®).
To improve the temperature distribution profile in heating die, different modifications were performed.
In order to optimize both processes, towpregs production and pultruded composites profiles were
analysed to determine the influence of the most relevant processing parameters in the final properties.
The final pultruded composite profiles were submitted to mechanical tests to obtain the relevant
properties.
Description
Keywords
Towpreg Pultrusion Thermoplastic Composites Mechanical Properties
Citation
Publisher
International Committee on Composite Materials (ICCM)