Void formation and suppression in CFRP laminate using newly designed ultrasonic vibration assisted RTM technique.

This study introduces an ultrasonic vibration assisted resin transfer molding (RTM) technique as an innovative approach to address the inherent challenges associated with traditional methods for producing CFRP laminates. It investigates the mechanism of void formation in CFRP composites under ultrasonic vibration using 3D X-ray microscopy. Numerical calculations and simulation analyses are also employed to validate the impact of ultrasonic vibration on mechanical properties of CFRP. The findings indicate that ultrasonic vibration results in CFRP laminates with more uniform thickness, leading to a substantial increase in fiber volume fraction up to ∼16 %. Concurrently, there are significant improvements in flexural strength (∼20 %) and fracture energy (∼90 %). Ultrasonic vibration also effectively reduces CFRP porosity by at least 25 %, resulting in a more consistent distribution of voids, primarily consisting of small circular voids. This porosity reduction is attributed to the cavitation effect and enhancing wettability, consequently improving the mechanical properties of CFRP. Moreover, simulations and numerical calculations demonstrate the significant occurrence of cavitation effect within the resin under specific process conditions. The intensity of cavitation is influenced by factors such as the initial bubble radius, acoustic pressure amplitude, and static pressure of the resin. The ultrasonic-assisted RTM process is proved as a promising method for producing CFRP laminates with superior properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]