Ultrasonic mixing head for liquid composite molding: Process and material characteristics

Abstract

Current thermosetting resin injection methods, especially those used for liquid composite molding processes, have in most cases remained incapable in terms of being environmentally friendly and cost‐effective at the same time. To help overcome these drawbacks, the use of a low‐pressure metering machine connected to a most recently developed ultrasonic mixing head is proposed in this study. The working principle of the system is based on benefitting from ultrasound induced acoustic cavitation effect to mix and heat the reactive thermosetting resins on line. The processing parameters of the proposed system investigated through the study include volume flow, resin temperature, counter pressure, amplitude and chamber volume. A commercially used static mixing head was used for the purpose of performance comparison. The experimental findings obtained were evaluated and discussed with emphasis being placed on the effectiveness of using an ultrasonic mixing head for liquid composite molding processes. It was found that mixing and heating the thermosetting resin systems in the ultrasonic mixing head is untroublesome and holds promise being replaced with a static mixing head in an affordable manner. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:3977–3985, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers