Effects of the Vacuum Moulding Process?on the Mechanical Properties?of Cotton/Epoxy Composite

摘要

A study on the effect of the vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding (VARTM) manufacturing?process on the mechanical properties of cotton/epoxy composite is presented in this?investigation. Woven cotton was used as reinforcing material embedded in epoxy resin.?The woven cotton was treated with sodium hydroxide for one hour at concentrations of 0%?to 20%. The tensile test showed that the untreated material had the highest ultimate strength?and Young’s modulus. Observation of the fracture surface by scan electronic microscopy?(SEM) was compared to the hand lay-up process as well as the results of the tensile test.?The comparison showed that the VARTM process presents better mechanical properties?than the hand lay-up process due to the reduction in discontinuities observed by means of optical microscopy.