Abstract

Carbon fiber reinforced parts are utilized by the transportation industry due to being strong yet lightweight. The highest quality parts are made using carbon fiber (CF) pre-impregnated with resin processed in an autoclave to reduce void content. The autoclave process is expensive and takes up a large amount of space, so liquid composite molding (LCM) is a less expensive alternative. The parts produced using LCM can be manufactured to rival the mechanical performance of parts made with pre-preg in an autoclave, but concerns remain over voids. Most research pertaining to void formation has been done ex-situ by either micro-CT or ultrasound, but valuable information can be obtained by monitoring void formation in-situ using a UV-sensitive dye mixed with resin. The objective of this research is to validate in-situ void formation observation methods for more complex fiber reinforcements beyond unidirectional. While previous work has established the validity of such observation for unidirectional fiber samples, this research focuses on preformed ply stacks alternating between 0 and 90 degrees.

Degree

MS

College and Department

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering; Manufacturing Engineering

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2025-04-24

Document Type

Thesis

Keywords

void formation, CFRP, liquid composite molding, modified capillary number, in-situ, preform, permeability, racetracking, through-thickness filling

Language

english

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