Effects of reactive and non-reactive tackifying agents on mechanical neat resin and composite performance for preforming processes and Liquid Resin Infusion (LRI) techniques

Preforming processes can be used for automated manufacturing of fiber reinforced polymers. Different technologies are used for processing of dry textile fabrics into 2D or 3D preforms. Due to missing tack of dry fabrics, auxiliary binder systems are used for fixation of the fabrics onto a substrate material and in order to achieve sufficient adhesion between layers. In this study, seven reactive and non-reactive tackifying agents have been dissolved in neat resin samples of three epoxy resin systems, showing different degrees of solubility and a variation on neat resin tensile properties (Delta sigma(AVG) = 20%) as well as a reduction on thermal properties (up to Delta T-g = -18 degrees C). Subsequently, fiber reinforced polymers were manufactured using Liquid Resin Infusion techniques in order to characterize the influence of binder systems on water absorption (c(s,max) = 1.38 wt%) and Interlaminar Shear Strength (ILSS). It was shown that ILSS properties are negatively affected by non-reactive tackifying agents (up to -27%).