Abstract
The use of fiber reinforced plastics (FRPs) has significant potential to reduce the weight of components. As regards the sustainability of these components, thermoplastic matrices offer more potential for recycling than thermoset ones. A possible manufacturing process for the production of thermoplastic FRPs is thermoplastic resin transfer molding (T-RTM). In this very moisture-sensitive process, ε-caprolactam in addition to an activator and catalyst polymerizes anionically to polyamide 6 (aPA6). The anionic polymerization of aPA6 is slowed down or even completely blocked by the presence of water. This study analyses the sorption behavior of the matrix, fiber, binder and core materials for the production of anionic polyamide 6 composites, which are processed in the thermoplastic RTM process. Water vapor sorption measurements are used to determine the adsorption and desorption behavior of the materials. The maximum moisture loading of the materials provides information about the water adsorption capacity of the material. This knowledge is crucial for correct handling of the materials to achieve a fast process and good properties of the final product.
Highlights
High damage tolerance, good fatigue behavior, the possibility of functionalization, weldability and the recyclability of the components are the particular advantages of thermoplastic fiber composites (TPCs) compared to their thermoset counterparts [1,2]
Further, ε-caprolactam starts steeply adsorbing a lot of moisture
The moisture release starts from a relative humidity of less than 80%
Summary
Good fatigue behavior, the possibility of functionalization, weldability and the recyclability of the components are the particular advantages of thermoplastic fiber composites (TPCs) compared to their thermoset counterparts [1,2]. TPCs can be processed either using reactive processing of monomer melts or using melt impregnation with polymer melts (organosheets). The latter has already been used successfully for 40 years in the automotive industry. The reactive processing of e-caprolactam (CL) into anionically polymerized PA6 (aPA6) is only established in casting processes of neat material. For this reason, several institutes and companies worldwide are involved in process development and processing of composites out of this resin combined with fibers [7,8,9,10]
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