Molding: Short‐Fiber Composites, Flow ProcessingAdapted from Molding Short‐Fiber Composites, Flow Processing , First Edition.

Abstract

Abstract A short‐fiber composite consists of a polymer matrix reinforced by fibers of much smaller length compared to the overall dimensions of the fabricated structure. These reinforced polymers were developed to fill the mechanical property gap between the continuous‐fiber laminates used as primary structures by the aircraft and aerospace industry and the neat polymers used in non‐load‐bearing applications. In particular, short‐fiber composites are handled as bulk suspensions and can be easily formed into complex‐shaped structures by processes such as transfer, compression, and injection molding. The molding processes for all short‐fiber systems involve a modest amount of flow through channels or mold cavities of different geometries. The complex microstructure and morphology that are produced depend on many parameters, such as the range of fiber lengths and diameters, fibers interaction with the mold walls and with each other during flow, heat transfer in the mold, and mold geometry. As the microstructure produced is related to the flow‐processing route of the fiber‐filled suspensions and the geometry of the mold, by exercising control over the flow processing, one can tailor the microstructure of the composite to the required application. So, in this article, a discussion on the rheology of fiber suspension, fiber orientation modeling, and fiber degradation during molding process is presented.