Twisted Fiber Prepreg Impregnation for Short-Pot-Life Thermosets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for impregnating reinforcing fiber yarns with thermosetting resins face issues such as premature curing during storage and insufficient impregnation, leading to defects in fiber-reinforced composite materials.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing method involving a coating step to apply a thermosetting resin or composition to a continuous reinforcing fiber bundle, followed by twisting to promote impregnation, and a heating step to form a prepreg, which can utilize thermosetting resins with short pot life without premature curing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a thermosetting resin with short pot life is used in a resin tank for impregnating reinforcing fiber yarn, then the resin may cure prematurely during storage, but using a resin with longer pot life may result in insufficient impregnation quality
Solution Approach 1:
The resin impregnation process is divided into two distinct stages: first, the reinforcing fiber yarn is coated with a thermosetting resin composition having short pot life; second, the coated yarn is twisted to promote resin penetration. This segmentation allows the resin to be applied in a controlled manner and cured only after proper impregnation, preventing premature curing while ensuring quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing fiber yarn is coated with thermosetting resin composition before twisting. This preliminary coating action ensures that the resin is applied to the fiber surface in advance, allowing subsequent twisting to effectively impregnate the resin into the fiber bundle without waiting for the resin to sit in a tank, thus preventing premature curing.
2Manufacturing precision
If the reinforcing fiber yarn is coated with thermosetting resin and then twisted to improve impregnation, then resin penetration increases, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coating and twisting operations are combined into a single integrated process step. The resin coating apparatus includes a twisting mechanism that simultaneously performs both the coating of resin onto the fiber yarn and the twisting action to promote impregnation, thereby achieving uniform resin distribution without adding separate process steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating apparatus is designed to perform multiple functions: it applies the thermosetting resin composition to the reinforcing fiber yarn and simultaneously twists the yarn to enhance resin penetration. This multi-functional design improves impregnation uniformity while avoiding the need for separate coating and twisting equipment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables the production of high-quality fiber-reinforced composite materials with improved impregnation properties, allowing for the manufacture of lightweight pressure vessels suitable for vehicle-mounted high-pressure gas storage tanks.
Implementation Method 1
a coating step of coating a surface of a continuous reinforcing fiber bundle with a thermosetting resin or a thermosetting resin composition
Implementation Method 2
a resin impregnating step of twisting the continuous reinforcing fiber bundle after the Step (I) and obtaining a prepreg impregnated with the thermosetting resin or the thermosetting resin composition
Implementation Method 3
a heating and molding step of disposing the prepreg obtained in the Step (II) and subsequently heating the prepreg
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a method for manufacturing a molded article consisting of a fiber-reinforced composite material containing a cured product of a thermosetting resin or a thermosetting resin composition and continuous reinforcing fibers, the method including, in this order, Steps (I) to (III) described below, a resin impregnating apparatus suitably used for the manufacturing method, and a 3D printer. Step (I): A coating step of coating a surface of a continuous reinforcing fiber bundle with a thermosetting resin or a thermosetting resin composition. Step (II): A resin impregnating step of twisting the continuous reinforcing fiber bundle after step (I) and obtaining a prepreg impregnated with the thermosetting resin or the thermosetting resin composition. Step (III): A heating and molding step of disposing the prepreg obtained in step (II) above and then heating the prepreg.