Name: Roll No: Hand Layup of A Glass fiber reinforced Polymer Composite Aim:

M.Karthick AE12M009 3rd Group

The aim of the experiment is to fabricate Glass Fiber reinforced Polymer (GFRP) composite consists of 4 layers of fiber using hand layup process. Description: Composite materials (also called composition materials or shortened to composites) are materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties, that when combined, produce a material with characteristics different from the individual components. The individual components remain separate and distinct within the finished structure. Typical engineered composite materials include:

Composite building materials such as cements, concrete Reinforced plastics such as fiber-reinforced polymer Metal Composites Ceramic Composites (composite ceramic and metal matrices)

Fiber-reinforced composite materials consist of fibers of high strength and modulus embedded in or bonded to a matrix with distinct interfaces (boundaries) between them. In this form, both fibers and matrix retain their physical and chemical identities, yet they produce a combination of properties that cannot be achieved with either of the constituents acting alone. In general, fibers are the principal load-carrying members, while the surrounding matrix keeps them in the desired location and orientation, acts as a load transfer medium between them, and protects them from environmental damages due to elevated temperatures and humidity, for example. Thus, even though the fibers provide reinforcement for the matrix, the latter also serves a number of useful functions in a fiber reinforced composite material. The principal fibers in commercial use are various types of glass and carbon as well as Kevlar 49. Other fibers, such as boron, silicon carbide, and aluminium oxide, are used in limited quantities. All these fibers can be incorporated into a matrix either in continuous lengths or in discontinuous (short) lengths. The matrix material may be a polymer, a metal, or a ceramic. Various chemical compositions and microstructural arrangements are possible in each matrix category. The most common form in which fiber-reinforced composites are used in structural applications is called a laminate, which is made by stacking a number of thin layers of fibers and matrix and consolidating them into the desired thickness. Fiber orientation in each layer as well as the stacking sequence of various layers in a composite laminate can be controlled to generate a wide range of physical and mechanical properties for the composite laminate. The fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites are found very wide application in aircraft components. The aircraft components (Rib, Skin) have complex shapes and thin, the fiber reinforced composites can be easily fabricated in to the complex shapes, and they have high strength to weight ratio compared to conventional material. By choosing different configuration the desired material properties can be easily achieved which is very difficult in conventional materials. The resin called as matrix used for binding the layers of fibers can be classified into thermoset and thermo plastic. Thermoset polymers Epoxies: principally used in aerospace and aircraft applications Polyesters, vinyl esters: commonly used in automotive, marine, chemical, and electrical applications Phenolics: used in bulk molding compounds 1

M.Karthick AE12M009 3rd Group Polyimides, polybenzimidazoles (PBI), polyphenylquinoxaline (PPQ): for high-temperature Cyanate ester

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Thermoplastic polymers Nylons (such as nylon 6, nylon 6,6), thermoplastic polyesters (such as PET, PBT), polycarbonate (PC), polyacetals: used with discontinuous fibers in injection-molded articles Polyamide-imide (PAI), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polysulfone (PSUL), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetherimide (PEI): suitable for moderately high temperature applications

In the present experiment the artificial glass fiber reinforced polymers are considered. Carbon fibers have high strength and costly, since the experiment is a demonstrative one, glass fiber is considered. The fibers are available mainly in four different configurations, Uni-directional, Woven Rowing mat (WRM) and Chopped Strand Mat (CSM) as shown in figure -1. And the last category is woven fabric, which is like cloth.

Figure -1. Description of Glass fiber configuration. In the present experiment two layers of woven rowing mat and two layers of chopped strand mat is stacked one over another (WRM-CSM-WRM-CSM). The resin used for the experiment is general purpose polyster thermoset resin (Matrix). The approximate size of the layer is 150mm X 150mm. Manufacturing Procedure: A clean surface is to be prepared for stacking the fiber layers and apply the resin. The surface to be coated with PVA (PolyVinyl Acetale) and WAX, which acts as releasing agent. A polyvinyl glass sheet is used in the present experiment which forms the base surface and can be removed easily once the composite gets cured. The resin is taken as the equal weight of the fiber in case of woven rowing mat (WRM) and unidirectional fiber, and for chopped strand mat (CSM) the resin weight is taken as double the weight of the fiber. The proportions are only based on the thumb rule and the literature. The resin for the present composite is general purpose polyster resin (Espol). The curing agents makes the resin to solid form. The curing can be done by room temperature (after layup leave it for more than 8 hours in the room temperature), and it can be done at elevated temperature as indicated by resin manufacturers instructions in an auto clave or oven. Curing agents for polyster resin are MEKP (Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide), CUROX and Benzoyl Peroxide. The curing agent is 1.5% of the total resin weight as a thumb rule. The accelerator for the curing process used is cobalt napthelin, which also 1.5% weight of the resin. 2

M.Karthick AE12M009 3rd Group The resin (polyster), curing agent or catalyst (MEKP) and the accelerator is mixed together and it should be applied within 25 minutes, since the mixture will become gel in the room temperature beyond 25 minutes and become unusable (In summer the gel time will be lesser). The colouring agent (pigments) can be added if necessary. The glass sheet is placed on a flat surface. One layer of woven rowing mat (WRM) is placed and the resin mixture is applied using a paint brush evenly over the layer, then one layer of chopped strand mat (CSM) is placed over. Again the resin mixture is applied evenly over the surface. The procedure is repeated for another set of WRM and CSM layer. Over this layup one more glass sheet is placed. The layup is pressed to remove voids and discontinuity of the resinusing any one of the following technique Vacuum bag Using vacuum technique they are pressed Pressure bag Pressure is applied over the layup using a pressurised bag which forms the contour of the layup Compression Moulding The layup is placed in a mechanical press and pressure is applied to form the composite.

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The fiber volume fraction (volume of fiber/ volume of the composite) should be higher for better material properties of the composite. This can be achieved by any one of the above methods. The fiber volume fraction of the composite is a very important parameter to find the material properties of the final composite product. The fourth technique is using a roller. The roller is rolled over the layup to form a void free composite.This technique is adapted for the present composite. The fiber volume fraction of the final product is accurately found by any one of the following methods The polymer matrix will melt temperature above 600oC. Burnout the polymer and find the volume fraction of fiber. This method is suited for glass fibers which melting temperature is 1400oC Dissolve the composite in acids, where the polymer matrix dissolves completely leaving the fiber alone. This method is suitable for carbon fibers, since the carbon fibers will melt in 400oC.

Table -1 presents the approximate weight of each individual components used for manufacturing of the composite. Components Weight (gms) Woven Rowing Mat (WRM) 60 X 2 = 120 Chopped Strand Mat (CSM) 25 X 2 = 50 Resin (Polyster) 220 Curing Agent (MEKP) 3.5 Accelarator 3.5 Total 400 Table -1. Weight of the individual components. After completing the layup and rolling, the final composite product is left for curing in room temperature. Figure -2 shows the sequence of the WRM and CSM layers stacked.

Name: Roll No:

M.Karthick AE12M009 3rd Group

Figure -2. Layup Sequence.

Conclusion: The Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) composite of 4 layers two WRM and CSM layer is manufactured using hand layup technique. The composite will be further tested for estimating its material properties.