This report discusses the advantages and drawbacks of the multi‐cavity parallel flow technique for permeability measurements. An experimental series with repeated measurements on material from the same roll shows that the repeatability of the technique is very good considering the manufacturing variability of the fabric. The measured standard deviation in the repeatability study is about 10%. It is, however, shown that the permeability can vary considerably‐ between reinforcements of similar geometry. Furthermore, computer simulations were used to estimate the errors when highly anisotropic materials are oriented at an angle to the material principal direction in the parallel flow technique. The conclusion based on the simulations is that the length to width ratio of the cavity should be larger than the anisotropy of the reinforcement for an acceptable error.

This article presents results from an experimental investigation in which two grades of aluminatrihydroxide (ATH) particles are added to liquid resin and used in infusion molding experiments. Based on the results, potential key mechanisms controlling resin flow and hence also the final particle distribution are proposed. A pore doublet model is proposed to explain the seemingly random spatial distribution of particle-dense regions within the final material. These dense regions are found within flow channels, at locations where local shear strain rates are low. This suggests that they are formed as a consequence of a Bingham type of viscosity behavior observed for the suspension and/or due to filtering of particles during fiber bundle impregnation.

Styrene emissions were studied during manufacturing of two identical glass-fiber reinforced plastic boats by two different manufacturing methods. The manufacturing methods were spray-up, which is an open method, and vacuum injection, which is a closed method. Changing the manufacturing process from an open method to a closed method decreased the styrene evaporation dramatically in this particular case. By using vacuum injection, the styrene emission during the laminate application was reduced by 98% compared with the styrene emission during laminate application by spray-up. Gel coat application by spraying will remain a major source for styrene emissions. The greatest environmental benefit is achieved with closed manufacturing methods when products without gel coat are made. The whole manufacturing process can then be performed in a closed system virtually free from emissions.

An electrophoretic deposition (EPD) prototype was developed aiming at the continuous production of carbon nanotube (CNT) deposited carbon fiber fabric. Such multi-scale reinforcement was used to manufacture carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites. The overall objective was to improve the mechanical performance and functionalities of CFRP composites. In the current study, the design concept and practical limit of the continuous EPD prototype, as well as the flexural strength and interlaminar shear strength, were the focus. Initial mechanical tests showed that the flexural stiffness and strength of composites with the developed reinforcement were significantly reduced with respect to the composites with pristine reinforcement. However, optical microscopy study revealed that geometrical imperfections, such as waviness and misalignment, had been introduced into the reinforcement fibers and/or bundles when being pulled through the EPD bath, collected on a roll, and dried. These defects are likely to partly or completely shadow any enhancement of the mechanical properties due to the CNT deposit. In order to eliminate the effect of the discovered defects, the pristine reinforcement was subjected to the same EPD treatment, but without the addition of CNT in the EPD bath. When compared with such water-treated reinforcement, the CNT-deposited reinforcement clearly showed a positive effect on the flexural properties and interlaminar shear strength of the composites. It was also discovered that CNTs agglomerate with time under the electric field due to the change of ionic density, which is possibly due to the electrolysis of water (for carboxylated CNT aqueous suspension without surfactant) or the deposition of ionic surfactant along with CNT deposition (for non-functionalized CNT aqueous suspension with surfactant). Currently, this sets time limits for the continuous deposition.

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