Thermo-Chemical Model for Microwave Curing of Continuous Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composites
Abstract
Microwave curing technologies have many advantages over traditional thermal curing methods for manufacturing fiber-reinforced composites. Advanced manufacturing techniques based on microwave curing have many attractive features due to the rapid heat transfer and volumetric heating, high heating efficiency, energy saving, reduced manufacturing costs, and shorter processing time. a trial-and-error approach is required to develop the processing techniques of microwave curing to avoid the electric field breakdown or arcing of carbon fiber bundles. These may cause high localized temperatures, resulting in material and fabrication assembly damage. Simulation models can be used to study the microwave curing process cost-effectively. in this study, a thermo-chemical multiphysics model to predict the cure and temperature evolution during the microwave processing of carbon fiber-reinforced composites has been developed. the cure kinetic parameters were obtained from performing multiple isothermal differential scanning calorimetry tests. the cure kinetics of the material was incorporated into the chemical model to study the evolution of the degree of cure. Experimental tests were performed to obtain the effect of different fiber orientations and thicknesses on the microwave penetration of the material. These results were implemented in the multiphysics model. Microwave curing process simulation predictions for temperature evolution were validated by incorporating optical fiber thermocouples.
Recommended Citation
S. K. Dasari et al., "Thermo-Chemical Model for Microwave Curing of Continuous Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composites," Composites and Advanced Materials Expo, CAMX 2023, SAMPE North America, Jan 2023.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.33599/nasampe/c.23.0116
Department(s)
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Keywords and Phrases
COMSOL; Fiber Reinforced Composites; Microwave; Multiphysics
International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
978-193455144-8
Document Type
Article - Conference proceedings
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2025 SAMPE North America, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Jan 2023
