Research Information System
COMPOSITES PART B: ENGINEERING, vol.292, pp.1-16, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
This study focuses on the impregnation behaviour in a powder epoxy based
towpregging line through a comprehensive approach integrating
experimental and modelling studies. A heat transfer model,
chemorheological model and impregnation model are used in tandem to
analyse the production process in the line. A finite element analysis
(FEA) model is used to predict the temperature distribution of the tow
due to the infrared heating system. A chemorheological model is employed
to estimate the viscosity values of the powder epoxy based on the
temperature distribution. Using a one-dimensional Darcy's Law-based
model in the Lagrangian frame, impregnation is predicted relative to the
tow position in the line. Experimentally, produced towpreg samples are
analysed through density-weight measurements and scanning electron
microscopy (SEM) imaging to determine fibre volume fraction and void
content. The experimental results highlight a towpreg void content below
10 %, which can be further reduced in the final part. The model reveals
the significance of capillary pressure during the towpregging and
suggests that the impregnation can be improved by adjusting key process
parameters.