Title: Developing a Procedure for Prepreg Tack Characterization

Authors: Edwin J. Smith, Cecile Grubb, John Misasi, and Nicole Larson

DOI: 10.33599/nasampe/c.19.0639

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to produce a repeatable method for comparing tack as a bulk property of the prepreg using cycles of compression to tension on a parallel plate rheometer. Four different prepregs were used with varying levels of tack including a low and a high tack phenolic/fiberglass prepreg as well as two different carbon fiber/epoxy prepregs. Five ply, 25 mm diameter, circular samples were laid up on a parallel plate geometry and subjected to five cycles of compression to tension. An integration was run on the stress versus displacement data to quantify the energy required to compress and separate the prepreg plies. Upon analysis of the compression cycles, there was no ability to distinguish between tack levels. However, the tension portions of the experiment show a clear separation in the tack of each prepreg. An analysis of variance was performed to understand the repeatability of the test method. It was ultimately found that this is a viable testing method for comparing prepreg tack, within or between resin/fiber systems, with a high degree of repeatability.

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Conference: CAMX 2019

Publication Date: 2019/09/23

SKU: TP19-0639

Pages: 12

Price: $24.00