Rheological behavior and process prediction of low viscosity epoxy resin for RTM

Abstract

The rheological behavior of a low epoxy resin system-SR8100/SD8734 for RTM in aviation industry was studied with viscosity experiments. The dual-Arrhenius rheological model and the improved engineering viscosity model were introduced and compared with the experimental data. The results indicated that the viscosity in the earlier stage calculated by dual-Arrhenius model matched the experimental data. As rising to 400 m·Pas, the viscosity calculated by the improved engineering model was closer to the experimental data. The processing windows of the resin system for RTM were determined by combining the two models, which could predict the rheological behavior of the resin system in a more credible way. 30–45 °C was the optimum processing temperature.

Keywords

resin transfer molding(RTM) / rheological behavior / epoxy resin system / viscosity model

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