Investigation of curing kinetics of a carbon fiber/epoxy prepreg used in aviation applications
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Ebru Aydin
Ebru Aydin born in 1993. She received her BSc and MSc degrees in the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Yildiz Technical University, İstanbul, Türkiye, in 2016 and 2018, respectively. She is currently a PhD scholar in a national project supported by TUBITAK. Her research interests include fiber reinforced composites, thermal analysis and autoclave process modeling.
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Afife Binnaz Hazar Yoruc
Afife Binnaz Hazar Yoruc, born in 1962. She received her BSc and MSc degrees in the Department of Chemical Engineering, Yildiz Technical University, İstanbul, Türkiye, in 1984 and 1986. She received her PhD degree in the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Yildiz Technical University, İstanbul, Türkiye, in 1994. Currently, she is a professor in the same faculty. Her main research area is materials science and engineering, biomaterials, biopolymers, polymers composites and nanomaterials.
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Ayşe Kayaalp
Ayşe Kayaalp, born in 1989, graduated with a BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Gazi, Ankara, in 2012. Currently, she is a chief engineer at Turkish Aerospace Industries and mainly engaged in the design of tools for aerospace materials. Her main research areas are manufacturing of aircraft structural parts, resin transfer moulding methods (RTM), same qualified resin transfer methods (SQRTM) and analysis of sheet metal forming operations.
Abstract
This study investigates the cure kinetics characteristics of a carbon fiber/epoxy prepreg used in the aerospace industry. Understanding the curing behavior of prepreg during the autoclave process is critical for optimizing high-performance composite manufacturing. DSC data obtained at different heating rates (2, 4 and 10 °C min−1) were analyzed to provide a comprehensive kinetic profile by determining the enthalpy and exothermic peak temperature for experimental model. Additionally, based on the T-β extrapolation curve, the optimum cure temperatures; Ti (gel), Tp (cure) and Tf (post) were calculated 139.42, 196.32 and 256.35 °C, respectively. Kinetic parameters for kinetic model, including activation energy E a , pre-exponential factor A and reaction order n were calculated by Kissinger, Ozawa and Crane methods. These were integrated into the nth-order reaction model, a model-fitting approach, to derive the kinetic equation for the prepreg and to analyze the relationship between the degree of cure and temperature based on the kinetic model. Consequently, the suitability of the nth-order reaction model was evaluated by comparing it with the experimental model to determine the suitable heating rate and curing temperature range. This study presents a practical example of the autoclave curing mechanism and behavior of carbon fiber/epoxy prepreg used in unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturing.
Funding source: The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey
Award Identifier / Grant number: 118C071
About the authors
Ebru Aydin born in 1993. She received her BSc and MSc degrees in the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Yildiz Technical University, İstanbul, Türkiye, in 2016 and 2018, respectively. She is currently a PhD scholar in a national project supported by TUBITAK. Her research interests include fiber reinforced composites, thermal analysis and autoclave process modeling.
Afife Binnaz Hazar Yoruc, born in 1962. She received her BSc and MSc degrees in the Department of Chemical Engineering, Yildiz Technical University, İstanbul, Türkiye, in 1984 and 1986. She received her PhD degree in the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Yildiz Technical University, İstanbul, Türkiye, in 1994. Currently, she is a professor in the same faculty. Her main research area is materials science and engineering, biomaterials, biopolymers, polymers composites and nanomaterials.
Ayşe Kayaalp, born in 1989, graduated with a BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Gazi, Ankara, in 2012. Currently, she is a chief engineer at Turkish Aerospace Industries and mainly engaged in the design of tools for aerospace materials. Her main research areas are manufacturing of aircraft structural parts, resin transfer moulding methods (RTM), same qualified resin transfer methods (SQRTM) and analysis of sheet metal forming operations.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge that this paper is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for PhD degree at Yildiz Technical University. The authors would like to thank The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBİTAK) and the Tool Design Engineering–UAV & Space Systems and Materials Testing and Characterization–Materials Engineering Department of the TAI (Ankara, Türkiye) for providing test materials and testing machines.
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Research ethics: Not applicable.
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Informed consent: Not applicable.
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Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
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Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.
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Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.
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Research funding: This study was funded by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) (Turkish Aerospace Industries-Yıldız Technical University 2244 – Industrial PhD Fellowship Program/project number: 118C071).
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Data availability: Not applicable.
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