Carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites were successfully manufactured by a new compression resin transfer molding process. The main innovation is that the injection stage is vacuum assisted. The high fiber volume fraction and low void content are promising properties for structural applications. The samples were tested under instrumented falling weight impact loading. Based on the contact time and delamination plots, the damage initiation energy threshold has been found to be 1.42 J, and from the energy plot a 30.25 J penetration energy threshold is deduced. Damage propagation is more energy dissipative process than the initiation one, since the ductility index takes a value of 1.97.
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