Novel carbon-fibre powder-epoxy composites: Interface phenomena and interlaminar fracture behaviour - ScienceDirect
Carbon fibres with three different sizing agents were used to manufacture unidirectional composites based on a powder epoxy resin. Powder epoxy processing was investigated as a route for fast, cost-effective manufacturing of out-of-autoclave composites compared to more time-consuming vacuum infusion technologies. In this work, a heat-activated epoxy powder was used as a resin system in low-cost vacuum-bag-only prepregs for thick composite parts that are required in the renewable energy industry (e.g. wind turbine blade roots). The importance of interfacial bonding between fibres and the matrix is shown and the impact on the ultimate mechanical performance of the manufactured composites demonstrated........
