Abstract
Carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) are appreciated for their high mechanical properties and lightness. Due to their heterogeneous nature, CFRP machining remains delicate. Damages are caused on the material and early tool wear occurs. The present study aims to evaluate the effects of fillers on CFRP machinability and mechanical behavior. CFRP laminates were fabricated by the vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process, using a modified epoxy resin. Three fillers (organoclay, hydrocarbon wax, and wetting agent) were mixed with the resin prior to the laminate infusion. Milling tests were performed with polycrystalline diamond (PCD) tools, equipped with thermocouples on their teeth. Machinability was then studied through the cutting temperatures and forces. Tensile, flexural, and short-beam tests were carried out on all samples to investigate the effects of fillers on mechanical properties. Fillers, especially wax, allowed us to observe an improvement in machinability. The best improvement was observed with 1% wax and 2% organoclay, which allowed a significant decrease in the cutting forces and the temperatures, and no deteriorations were seen on mechanical properties. These results demonstrate that upgrades to CFRP machining through the addition of nanoclays and wax is a path to explore.
Highlights
Composite materials are very popular because of their high specific mechanical properties, which allow for obtaining stronger and lighter structures
A nano organophilic phyllosilicate (Garamite-1958) and a micronized polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) modified polyethylene wax (Ceraflour-996) were used as fillers in the epoxy resin, according to the concentrations presented in Table 1, which follows a three-level factorial design.J.NCoamnpoos.cSlcai.y20c1o9,n3t, e85nt was limited to 2 wt % and wax at 1.5 wt %
Slight variations were observed in the fiber volume fraction, as shown in Figure 6, which were attributed to the variability of the vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process
Summary
Composite materials are very popular because of their high specific mechanical properties, which allow for obtaining stronger and lighter structures. Premature failures may happen because of the subsurface nature of the damages and a decrease in mechanical strength after machining may occur [10,11] Tool wear is another issue appearing during CFRP machining. A wide range of fillers are available to improve mechanical, chemical, or physical polymer properties [30] Their effects on CFRP machinability have not been studied yet. Nanoclay is expected to improve mechanical properties, especially the fiber-matrix interface, which has been shown to be a weakness in the cutting forces transmission, since separation is the first failure to happen [31]. Hydrocarbon wax should lower friction and abrasion between the tool and the workpiece and prevent the damages caused by high temperatures and prevent tool wear
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