Feasibility study of VARTM manufacturing of carbon biaxial braided composites using EPON 9504 epoxy resin system

摘要

The biaxial sleeving or tube form of the braid is the most popular form and chosen by small business jet manufacturers since it allows for predictable, consistent lay-up and conforms to any shape. Small business jet applications require resins with high glass transition temperature (T_g) and better fatigue life. There are limited numbers of epoxy resins available in the market with high T_g. One of the candidates for these applications is EPON 9504 epoxy resin system manufactured by Resolution Performance Products, Inc. EPON 9504 has T_g of 110-135 deg C (230-276 deg F) and the viscosity of 350 cps at 77 deg F temperature. It has a better fatigue life compared to vinyl esters. EPON 9504 is an ideal choice for such applications and its low viscosity and low curing temperature allow for fabrication of composites parts using vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) at the ambient temperature. The present study is an attempt to fine tune the VARTM process for carbon biaxial braids using EPON 9504 epoxy resin.