A New Method to Reduce Cure-Induced Stresses in Thermoset Polymer Composites, Part II: Closed Loop Feedback Control System

Abstract

A closed loop feedback control system has been developed to obtain cure cycles which reduce the cure-induced stresses in single fiber/matrix model composites. In this feedback system, thermal expansion and stress relaxation are used to counteract the stresses resulting from the chemical shrinkage. The feedback system is applied to two different fibers (carbon and glass) in four different resins [3501-6, 934, and 977-3 epoxies and 5250-4 bismaleimide (BMI)]. The completeness of the cure is verified by comparing glass transition temperature (Tg) for polymers cured using the standard cure cycles (cycles recommended by the prepreg manufactures) and the feedback cure cycles. The durations of the feedback cure cycles are within that of the standard cycles. Test results indicate that feedback cure cycles reduce the curvature of unsymmetrical laminates as a measure of residual stresses.