Curing of Glass Fiber/Epoxy Resin Composites Using Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Buckypaper as a Resistive Element

Abstract

Glass fiber/epoxy resin composites (GF/EP) were prepared using one and three multiwalled carbon nanotube buckypapers (BPs) as a resistive element. Compared to the conventional hot compression molding process that demanded 4200 W to fabricate the GF/EP laminate, the proposed curing process consumed only 63 W, representing a saving power of 98.5%. The thermal distribution of the BP and their composites were recorded using an infrared thermometer. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves have not shown a residual cure, suggesting the curing process using the BP as a resistive element was effective. The cross section views of the laminates were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the mechanical characterizations were performed by impulse excitation technique (IET), compression shear test (CST), and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS). The results demonstrated that the BP composites showed a good consolidation between the prepregs layers, and presented no significant variations in the mechanical tests compared to the traditional hot compression molding process. Nevertheless, dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA) showed a slight decrease in the BP composites’ storage moduli compared to GF/EP laminate.