A powder coating technique was used to produce carbon fiber towpregs with low fiber content. Unidirectional composites obtained from this material were subjected to mechanical testing. The tensile strength of the carbon fibers was determined from experimental data, using the Weibull and log-normal distribution functions. The properties of the composites are comparable with those of a commercial Sheet Molding Compound (SMC), and could be predicted using the Classical Lamination Theory. It is shown that the tensile strength of the composites is more sensitive than the modulus to processing derived defects.
1. Malcolm, W., Todd, E. 1993. "Carbon Fiber Reinforced PPS Thermoplastic Materials Implemented in a Cost Sensitive Commercial Applications,"38th Int. SAMPE Symposium, Anaheim, pp. 2055-2065.
2.
2. Gantt, B. W., Edie, D. D., Lickfield, G. C., Drews, M. J., and Ellison, M. S.1989. "Thermoplastic Coating of Carbon Fibers," in Thermoplastic Matrix Composite Materials, ASTM STP 1004, pp. 50-61.
3.
3. Iyer, S. R., Drzal, L. T.1990. Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials, 3(4):325-355.
4.
4. Ramani, K., Tryfonidis, M., Hoyle, C. and Gentry, J.1992. "Processing of Thermoplastic Composites Using a Powder Slurry Technique," in Processing, Fabrication and Manufacturing of Composite Materials, ASME MD, Vol. 46, pp. 633-657.
5.
5. Connor, M., Gibson, A.Toll, S. and Manson, J. A.1993. "Consolidation Model for Powder Impregnated Composites," in Composites Modeling and Processing Science, Woodhead Publishing Ltd., ICCM/9, Madrid, Vol III, pp. 297-301.
6.
6. Hudgins, G., Love, B., Muzzy, J.1993. "Consolidation Conditions for Flexible Towpreg," in Ceramic Matrix Composites and Other Systems, Woodhead Publishing Ltd., ICCM/9, Madrid, Vol II, pp. 575-583.
7.
7. Johnston, N. J. and Cano, R. J.1995. "Powder-Coated Towpreg: Avenues to Near Net Shape Fabrication of High Performance Composites," in Processing and Manufacture: Manufacturing, Anoush Poursartip and Ken Street, eds., Woodhead Publishing Ltd., ICCM/10, Whistler, pp. 407-412.
8.
8. Allen, L. E., Edie, D. D., Lickfield, G. C. and McCollum, J. R.1988. Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials, 1:371-379.
9.
9th Tech. Conf. of American Society for Composites, pp. 1229-1236.
10.
10. Manson, J. A., Connor, M., Toll, S. and Gibson, A.1995. Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials, 8(2):138-162.
11.
11. Ramani, K., Borgankar, H. and Hoyle, C.1995. Composites Manufacturing, 6:35-43.
12.
12. Vodermayer, A. M., Kaerger, J. C. and Hinrichsen, G.1993. Composites Manufacturing, 4:123.
13.
13. Paiva, M. C., Nardin, M., Bernardo, C. A. and Schultz, J. 1995. "Interfacial Effects in Ultra-Modulus Pitch-Based Carbon Fibre/Polycarbonate Composites by Fragmentation," in Proceedings of the 22nd Biennial Conference on Carbon, American Carbon Society, San Diego, pp. 162-163.
14.
14. Asloun, E. M., Donnet, J. B., Guilpan, G., Nardin, M. and Schultz, J.1989. Journal of Materials Science, 24:3504-3510.
15.
15. Stoner, E. G. 1991. "The Effect of Shape on the Tensile Strength of Pitch-Based Carbon Fibers," PhD thesis, Clemson University, Clemson, USA.
16.
16. Stoner, E.G., Edie, D. D. and Durham, S. D.1994. Journal of Materials Science, 29:6561-6574.
17.
17. Padgett, W. J., Durham, S. D. and Mason, A. M.1995. Journal of Composite Materials, 29:1873-1884.
18.
18. Tsai, S. W.1987. Composites Design, USA, Think Composites.
19.
19. Jones, R. M.1975. Mechanics of Composite Materials, Washington, Scripta Book Company.
20.
20. Saarela, O.1992. LAMDA-Laminate Design and Analysis, Otaniemi, Helsinki University of Technology.
21.
21. Klett, J. W., Albiger, J., Edie, D. D. and Lickfield, G. C. 1992. "Production and Evaluation of a Polyimide/Carbon Fiber Powder-Coated Towpreg," in Proceedings of the Seventh Inter. Conference on Carbon, Carbon '92, Essen, pp. 683-685.
22.
22. Klett, J. W. and Edie, D. D.1995. Carbon, 33(10):1485-1503.
