Interfacial properties of EB cured textile composite

It is well known that textile composites are molded by Resin Transfer RTM method. However, there are severe problems in RTM, that is, voids remained in the product. Therefore not RTM but another molding process for textile composites needs to be investigated. Accordingly, the authors applied Electron Beam (EB) cure to process of textile composites. There are significant advantages to be gained in EB curing of composite materials over conventional thermal curing. EB curable resin does not start curing till EB is rayed on it, so that the time of impregnation process does not have a limitation, consequently, complete impregnation can be achieved. EB curing process has much shorter cure times, and reduces thermal stresses in the cured part. It is considered that EB curing process is suitable for these complicated textile composites, that is the impregnation is difficult because of fiber architecture of textile. In this study, EB cured woven fabric composites were fabricated as an example of EB cured textile composite. In order to consider the effect of curing conditions, DMA measurement of resin was performed. Moreover, interfacial properties of EB cured composites were discussed from two points of view, interfacial strength and interfacial fracture toughness. It was clarified that interfacial strength was constant over 90kGy, however, interfacial fracture toughness decreased with increasing total dose.