Abstract
High-performance aerospace composite manufacturing of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) components makes use of release films during standard cure processes. After removal of a release film, unwanted residue from the film has been known to decrease the bond strength of adhesive joints in CFRP parts. Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) has been used as a relatively non-destructive surface analysis technique to determine the atomic composition and chemical species present on the CFRP surfaces. The identification of the chemical species present on the surface can lead to a better understanding of the overall bond structure and functional composition of the elements in a given surface, distinct from the bulk chemistry of the substrate. In this study, ESCA analyses were done on CFRP surfaces prepared with two different fluoropolymer release films: fluorinated ethylene-propylene (FEP) and ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE). Differences in the high-resolution spectra were used to determine the amount of fluoropolymer transferred to the CFRP surface after removal of the release films. The ESCA quantification showed that FEP release films transferred less material than ETFE release films to the surface of the cured CFRPs.
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