Author(s)

Yasunari Kuratani^1*, Aya Miki², Norimichi Nanami³, Hayato Nakatani⁴, Hiroyuki Hamada¹

¹Department of Advanced Fibro-Science, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan.
²General Affairs Department, KADO Corporation, Hyogo, Japan.
³Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Science and Technology, Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan.
⁴Department of Mechanical & Physical Engineering, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan.

Effects of ultrasonic vibrations on mechanical properties of fiber reinforced plastics were investigated during molding resin impregnation process in vacuum assisted resin transfer molding. The vacuum bag including the preformed each non-crimp fabrics (carbon and glass fibers) was placed in a water bath of an ultrasonic wave generator during resin impregnation. The mechanical properties of the laminates were evaluated through the mechanical strength tests and scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation. The results revealed that ultrasonic waves improved transverse tensile, flexural, interlaminar shear, and compressive strengths of the carbon fiber (CF) laminates and interlaminar shear and compressive strengths of the glass fiber (GF) laminates. It was found from SEM observation that the fracture modes of the CF and GF laminates processed using ultrasonic waves were resin fracture. Accordingly, the adhesion of the fiber/resin interface was improved by oscillating ultrasonic vibration during resin impregnation, leading to an increase of the interface strength.

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics, Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastics, Non-Crimp Fabrics, Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding, Mechanical Strength, Ultrasonic Wave, Interfacial Debonding

Kuratani, Y. , Miki, A. , Nanami, N. , Nakatani, H. and Hamada, H. (2018) Effects of Ultrasonic Waves during Resin Impregnation on the Mechanical Properties of Unidirectional Composite Materials. Open Journal of Composite Materials, 8, 1-10. doi: 10.4236/ojcm.2018.81001.