International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)

ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 12, December - 2013

Experimental Characterization of CFRP for Mechanical

Properties with Different Resin Systems
Ashok Reddy .P 1 Sd. Abdul Kalam2 G. V. Rao.3 G. Rama Rao.4
1
M.Tech Student, Mechanical Engineering Department, Prasad V Potluri Siddhartha Institute
of Technology, Vijayawada.

2
Assistant professor, mechanical engineering department, Prasad V Potluri Siddhartha
Institute of Technology, Vijayawada.

3
Professor, mechanical engineering department, Former Director,CPDC, DRDO,Hyderabad

4
Scientist „D‟, CPDC, DRDO,Hyderabad.

Abstract I. Introduction:-
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Composites play a vital role in aerospace, land Composite materials are widely used in
transportation and consumer goods due to their
high specific strengths and stiffness’s, leading to many structural applications like an
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reduction in the mass of moving objects. Some of aerospace, land transportation and
the important aerospace hardware such as rocket consumer goods. Advanced composites
motor casings makes extensive use of CFRP using continuous T-700 carbon fibre in
(carbon fibre reinforced polymer). Judicious choice multifunctional epoxy resin in a laminate
of the matrix system compatible with new
generation high tensile strength carbon fibres like form are becoming popular for structural
T-700 is crucial in obtaining consistent values of applications not only the aero space but
composite strength in tension as well as in shear. also in the general engineering. This CFRP
composite has high strength and high
In the present investigation, four
different resin matrix systems were used in
stiffness compared to other composite
conjunction with T-700 carbon fibres and materials.
specimens derived from UD composites made with
each of the resin systems and conforming to Mechanical performance of carbon
relevant ASTM- D series specifications were tested fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP)
in tension, flexure and shear. Results indicate composites depend not only on the
consistent and enhanced strength properties for properties of reinforcing fibre and matrix,
CFRP with matrix composition # 4; that is epofine
1555 but also on the fibre sizing/matrix
interfacial properties(1).Therefore, many
Keywords: CFRP, Epofine, Matrix, T-700. scientific efforts have been devoted to
modify carbon fibres by a variety methods
such- as gas- phase, liquid- phase and
continuous anodic oxidation(2-6), and then
apply a very thin coating of a prepolymer
or resin to the modified carbon fibre
surface (7-10)for the purpose of improving
the interfacial properties between the

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 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 12, December - 2013

carbon fibre and matrix(11,12) and Carbon T-700/epoxy resin

meanwhile to prevent the fibres from laminates were prepared by drum winding
damage through the process of process. T-700 fibres are passed through
manufacture. In addition to that the a resin bath containing epoxy resin mixed
composite material depends on the with 10%by weight of hardener HY
properties of its constituents and their 5200.The traction for pulling resin wetted
distribution and physical and chemical fibres which pass through a pay-out eye
interactions. attached to the longitudinal slide (tool
post), is provided by rotating cylindrical
Mechanical properties of the composite mandrel. The resin bath is equipped with
will depend on the following aspects: in-built servo controlled heating system
and the temperature of resin mix is
1. Surface treatment of the fibre
maintained at 400c, in order to bring the
2. Percentage elongation of the
resin viscosity to around 1000-
fibre and matrix
1500cpa.This enables the volume fraction
3. Chemistry of the resin dictated
of fibres to be at around 60%.
by functionality, addition of
toughening agent, curing agents The cylindrical drum on which fibres are
and curing conditions. deposited is rotated at a low speed of
In this investigation different 15rpm. Prior to winding, it is covered with
epoxy resin systems with higher a thick HDPE film without any wrinkles
functionality were tried out in
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what so ever. The gear ratio between the
conjunction with high performance headstock and lead screw is adjusted in
T-700 carbon fibres. Some of the such way that the fibre depositing slide
resins were used along with
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moves by 3mm per each revolution of

reactive & non-reactive diluents. drum. The resulting pattern of fibres will
Different hardeners were also used be successive bands of fibre of 3mm
to study the effect of these width. After the winding is completed, the
chemicals on the properties of the mandrel kept under rotation for about an
composites derived from them. hour to ensure that there is no resin
collection at the bottom due to gravity.
The green composite (fibre blended with
II .Material Preparation:- resin before curing) is cut open along the
Four types of epoxy resin were used in this length of drum parallel to its axis. It is then
work.The epoxy LY556(resin#1)was carefully removed from the drum and laid
supplied by Hauntsman advaced materials flat on a table top along with the HDPE
praviate limited,Mumbai.The epoxy LY back-up film and allowed to air-dry for
556 with 5%reactive diluent(resin#2), about 24hours to get the required
Toughed epoxy resin (epoxy resin LY556 tackiness. The prepag is then cut into the
is modified with CTBN elastamers,that is pieces of 300mmx300mm with the help of
resin#3) were supplied by ASL,Hyderabad a template. The 300mmx300mm laminas
and Epofine 1555(modified epoxy resin are placed one by one on die plate up to
with high elongation (%4), that is resin#4) the required thickness. The punch plate is
was provided by fine finish organics pvt then assemble to it and clamped with bolts
Ltd, Mumbai. & nuts. The clamping bolts are torqued to
a value of 30N-m with the help of a torque
wrench. The assembly is placed in a curing

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 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 12, December - 2013

oven and the composite was cured as per

the following general cure cycle.
Variations were made to suit the resin
systems as recommended by the
manufacturer.
Room temperature to 70oC - 3omin
Hold at 70oC – 120 min
Ramp to 150oC – 30min
Hold at 150oC – 240min
To prepare the laminate, the following
process parameters were used
III .Specimen Preparation and
SN Parameter/Materi Details
o al Testing:
1 Resin/Hardener LY-556/HY 5200 Specimens were prepared from composite
2 Diluent EF3601, 290a laminated plates; the manufacturing
3 Tool Cylindrical/Recta process is described under the heading
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ngular Mandrel
“material preparation”. The specimens
4 Process a)Drum winding
b) Plate winding conform to the requirements lead down in
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5 Band width 3.0mm the relevant ASTM specifications listed

6 Fibre Tension 0.9kg below.
7 Distance between 1.66m
Resin bath and S. Type of Releva No.of Specimen
mandrel N test nt speci size(mm)
8 Number of a)1 o ASTM mens
processes b) 7 to 10 1 UD- D-3039 5 250x15x1.0
9 Mandrel RPM 15 RPM Tensile
10 Resin temperature 45oC 2 Transve D-3039 5 175x25x2.0
11 Volume fraction 60% rse
tensile
3 Flexura D-790 5 50X25X1.6
l
4 ILSS D-2544 5 24X12X6.0
5 In D-3518 5 300x25x3.0
plane
shear

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 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 12, December - 2013

A .Test condition: Table-1: Tensile Properties:

1. The specimens were tested at a strain Re Geometry Breaki σ E

rate (displacement) of 2mm/min sin (mm) ng (Mpa (Gpa)
typ load )
2. Co-axiality of the specimen axis and the
machine loading axis was ensuring. e (KN)
3. Two layers of emery cloth were used on R1 250X15X1.0 38.34 1325 137.2
either end of the specimen to hold between R2 250X15X1.0 45.24 1377 142.1
the grips. R3 250X15X1.0 33.13 1064 108.0
4. Cognizes was taken in respect of the R4 250X15X1.0 49.64 2055 134.7
results in which explosive failure within
the gauge length was absorbed.
σ=Average value of tensile strength,
B. Testing:- E=Young‟s modulus
In UD- tensile, transverse tensile and
In-plane shear the specimen is mountain in Tensile Strength
the grips of INSTRON universal testing
machine and monotonically loaded in a
tension while recording the force. The
strength can be determined from the 2055
maximum loading carried before failure.
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1325 1377
The maximum displacement can be 1064
determined by the strain transducer.
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In flexural and short beam shear test,

insert the specimen into the test fixture,
with the tool slide resting on the reaction R1 R2 R3 R4
supports. Align and centre the specimen
such that its longitudinal axis is
perpendicular to the loading nose and side
Graph-1: Tensile Strength of T-700 CF with
supports. Adjust the span such that the different resins
span to measured thickness ratio is 4 in
flexural and 16 in the in- plane shear. The Table-2: Transverse Tensile properties:
loading nose should be located
equidistance between the side supports. Resin Geometry(mm) Breaking σf E
type load(KN) (MPa) (Gpa)
IV. Results:
R1 175X25X2.0 1.2 14.24 4.96
Observed results in respect of
specimen derived from Resin#1(R1), R2 175X25X2.0 1.12 16.75 5.37
Resin#2(R2),Resin#3(R3)and Resin#4(R4) R3 175X25X2.0 1.24 24.75 7.95
composite plates are placed in R4 175X25X2.0 2.96 25.03 8.44

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 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 12, December - 2013

Table-4: Inter laminar shear properties:

Transeverse Tensile Strength

24.75 25.03 Resin Geometry Breaking τ12 G12

type load (MPa) (Gpa)
16.75
14.24 R1 40x12x6.0 2.9 50.6 3.2

R2 40x12x6.0 3.72 62.81 3.6

R3 40x12x6.0 5.01 77.47 7.8

R1 R2 R3 R4

R4 40x12x6.0 3.07 64.56 4.4

Graph-2: Transverse Tensile Strength of
T-700 CF with different resins τ12 = Inter laminar shear strength
G12= shear modulus
Table-3: Flexural properties:-
Res Geometry Breaking σf E Inter Laminar Shear Strength
in (mm) load(KN) (MPa) (Gpa)
type 77.47
R1 50x25x1.6 5.0 718.41 32.2 62.81 64.56
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3 50.6
R2 50x25x1.6 1.12 1184.4 103.
6 08
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R3 50x25x1.6 4.75 986.16 73.1

5
R4 50x25x1.6 3.25 982.76 74.1 R1 R2 R3 R4
1
Graph-4: Inter Laminar Shear Strength of
σf= Flexural strength T-700 CF with different resins

Table-5: In plane shear properties:-

Flexural Strength
1184.46 Resin Geometry Breaking τ12 G12
986.16 982.76 type load (Mpa) (Gpa)
R1 300X25X3 1.5 97.32 3.5
718.41

R2 300X25X3 3.45 86.46 3.9

R3 300X25X3 1.98 35.45 8.1

R1 R2 R3 R4 R4 300X25X3 15.04 56.63 4.2

Graph-3: Flexural Strength of T-700 CF

with different resins τ12 = Inter laminar shear strength

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 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 12, December - 2013

In-Plane Shear Strength

97.32
86.46

56.63

35.45

Fig-2: Laminated composite plate

R1 R2 R3 R4

Graph-5 In-Plane Shear

Strength of T-700 CF with different resins
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Fig-3: Specimen Failure in Transverse

tensile loading

Fig-1: specimen loading configuration

Fig-4: Specimen failure in in-plane shear

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 International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT)
ISSN: 2278-0181
Vol. 2 Issue 12, December - 2013

Conclusion:- ll:characterization of the fibre –matrix

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tried out, Resin#4 is most preferred one 8. Dilsiz N, Wightman JP. Surface analysis
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2000Mpa. This resin system is also given 9. Iron JO, Yuan W. Surface properties of
reasonable good flexural, transverse the carbon fibre modified by
tensile, in-plane shear, inter laminar shear electodeposition of the ployamic acid.
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