SAMPE Journal - May/June 2013 - (Page 20)

Feature arTicle Resin Transfer Moulding of Composite Panels with Bio-Based Resins Francesca Felline, Silvio Pappadà, Riccardo Gennaro and Alessandra Passaro Consorzio CETMA Departments of Materials and Structures Engineering, Technologies and Processes Area Cittadella della Ricerca, Brindisi, Italy Email: francesca.felline@cetma.it Abstract In this technical article, the possibility of using bio-based epoxy resins obtained by bio-renewable feedstock and waste streams of other industrial processes to impregnate natural fibers (flax and cellulose) and glass fibers textiles by means of the resin transfer moulding (RTM) process was evaluated. Impact and static characterization of different composites was carried out in order to evaluate their mechanical properties and to validate the devised process. In detail, flexural, tensile, short beam and Izod tests were carried out on the bio-based panels, and the results were compared with similar composites impregnated with standard epoxy resins. The experimental results are discussed and useful guidelines for bio-based composites processing were suggested. Introduction Currently the world of polymeric composite materials is almost exclusively based on fossil derived components. This fact represents a strong issue, as the nonrenewable global oil resources are being exploited year after year, also as a consequence of the ever growing demand for plastics engineer- ing materials. As a concrete answer to the increasing volumes of building and construction materials processed and transformed by industry in almost all sectors, renewable resources need to be exploited in order to reduce the depletion of oil reservoirs, and the associated ecological issues deriving, provided they can grant quality standards comparable with the currently available materials. So, in order to answer to the increasing demand for environmentally friendly materials and the desire to reduce the cost of traditional fibers (i.e., carbon, glass and aramid) reinforced petroleum-based composites, new bio-based composites have been developed. Naturalfiber-reinforced polymer composites, or biocomposites, have emerged as a potential environmentally friendly and cost-effective option to synthetic FRP composites. Despite the interest and environmental appeal of biocomposites, their use has been limited to non-primary, or non-load-bearing applications due to their lower strength and stiffness compared with synthetic FRP composites1. Recent developments, however, have shown that certain physical-mechanical properties of ‘engineered’ biocomposites are comparable with those of lower performance structural synthetic fiber composites, namely glass-FRP. Natural fibers Figure 1. The RTM process scheme used. 20 SAMPE Journal, Volume 49, No. 3, May/June 2013 http://go.instron.com/trust http://go.instron.com/trust

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SAMPE Journal - May/June 2013

SAMPE Journal - May/June 2013
Contents
President’s Message
Technical Director’s Corner
Mechanical Properties of Bio-Fibers for Composite Materials
SAMPE Journal Editorial Calender
Corporate Partners
Materials & Products
Welcome SAMPE’s Newest Members
SAMPE Proceedings
Resin Transfer Moulding of Composite Panels with Bio-Based Resins
Europe News & Views
SAMPE Europe’s SETEC 13 Wuppertal, Germany
Innovative and Sustainable Approaches to Enhance Fire Resistance of Cellulosic Fibers for Green Polymer Composites
Class of 2013-SAMPE Fellows
The SAMPE Foundation
SAMPE Tech 2013|Wichita, KS
SAMPE Tech 2014|Call for Papers
Industry News
Perspectives
SAMPE 2013|Long Beach
SAMPE 2013 Exhibitor Listing
SAMPE 2013 Show Floor
SAMPE 2013 Exhibitor Products & Services
Advertiser’s Index
Resource Center
Industry Events Calendar
Chapter Contacts

SAMPE Journal - May/June 2013