Type of Document	Thesis
Author	Nwabuzor, Augustine Ogom
URN	etd-04202004-035547
Title	Development of the Ridft Process: Incorporation of Ultraviolet Light Curing Process
Degree	Master of Science
Department	Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Department of
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Okenwa Okoli Committee Chair
Keywords	UV curing Ridft
Date of Defense	2004-04-15
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract viii Polymer composite manufacturing techniques have over the years generated tremendous interest in the area of research and development in response to current trends and demands. Recent studies have focused on the development of several variations of liquid composite molding (LCM) techniques for the manufacture of polymeric composite parts. These techniques, which include processes such as Resin Transfer Molding (RTM), Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM), Seemann Composite Resin Infusion Molding Press (SCRIMP), have gained wide spread acceptance within the composite industry, primarily because they attempt to eliminate or reduce most, of the styrene emissions associated with open mold composite manufacturing techniques. Nonetheless, LCM techniques have found limited use in the mass production sector due to long production cycle times This work is centered on the process development of the Resin Infusion between Double Flexible Tooling (RIDFT). Despite the tremendous potential benefits that can be obtained from the RIDFT process, it is still plagued by some of the inherent limitations generally prevalent amongst most closed mold technology LCM processes. These limitations arise primarily because RIDFT, just like other LCM processes, makes use of an organic peroxide based catalyst curing system that invariably introduces a certain amount of inflexibility and restriction in the overall manufacturing process. These include long production cycle times due to lengthy curing times, as well as a narrow processing window for the production of composite parts. The primary focus of this thesis is to evaluate the feasibility of designing and incorporating a Cure on Demand (C.o.D) system into the RIDFT process that would involve the use of Ultraviolet (UV) light for the curing of composite laminates. The objective is to develop a process for the RIDFT that would eliminate or reduce the inflexibility in the current production process, resulting in shortened production cycle times. UV cured laminates were produced at a fraction of the time required to produce catalyst cured laminates. Mechanical and material characterization tests were performed on each of the UV cured laminates produced. The results were referenced against that obtained for laminates produced using a catalyst curing system to determine their overall quality. The UV cured laminates after undergoing both tensile and rheological thermal tests were found to have both mechanical and material properties that were comparable and in a few instances slightly better than that of thermally cured laminates.
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