Development of a high-fidelity framework to describe the process-dependent viscoelasticity of a fast-curing epoxy matrix resin including testing, modelling, calibration and validation

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Fast-curing epoxy resins enable substantial reduction of cycle times during production of thermoset polymer matrix composites. Due to the snap-cure behaviour, both characterisation and processing of these resins are associated with high complexity which motivates the development of a high-fidelity framework for the prediction of the process-dependent behaviour ranging from experiment to model validation. In order to determine influence of time, temperature, and degree of cure, a multitude of rheometer and dynamic mechanical analysis experiments are conducted and evaluated. Building on the experimental results, a material model based on a generalised Maxwell model is developed. It is calibrated on the results obtained in the tests and shown to describe the material’s behaviour with high accuracy under all investigated conditions. The model’s predictive capabilities are further tested by applying it to a dynamic mechanical analysis, exposing the model to previously unknown loading and temperature conditions. It is demonstrated that the model is capable of predicting such changing boundary conditions with high accuracy.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number3647
Number of pages21
JournalPolymers
Volume14
Issue number17
Publication statusPublished - 2 Sept 2022
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85137811726
Mendeley 942741ab-cb95-3e80-97db-559e1e1029d9
WOS 000851709300001
PubMed 36080722
ORCID /0000-0002-0169-8602/work/142242248
ORCID /0000-0003-1370-064X/work/142243778
ORCID /0000-0002-0820-8936/work/142245870
ORCID /0000-0003-3624-3242/work/142255844

Keywords

Keywords

  • material model, viscoelasticity, cure, testing