The Effects of Absorbing Materials on the Homogeneity of Composite Heating by Microwave Radiation

Nuhiji, Betime, Bower, Matthew P., Proud, William A.E., Burpo, Steven J., Day, Richard, Scaife, Richard J and Swait, Timothy (2021) The Effects of Absorbing Materials on the Homogeneity of Composite Heating by Microwave Radiation. Materials, 14 (23). p. 7362. ISSN 1996-1944

[img]
Preview
Text
GURO_materials-14-07362-v2.pdf - Published Version

Download (3MB) | Preview

Abstract

When cured in a microwave, flat thin composite panels can experience even heat distribution throughout the laminate. However, as load and geometric complexity increase, the electromagnetic field and resulting heat distribution is altered, making it difficult to cure the composite homogeneously. Materials that absorb and/or reflect incident electromagnetic radiation have the potential to influence how the field behaves, and therefore to tailor and improve the uniformity of heat distribution. In this study, an absorber was applied to a composite with non-uniform geometry to increase heating in the location which had previously been the coldest position, transforming it into the hottest. Although this result overshot the desired outcome of temperature uniformity, it shows the potential of absorbing materials to radically change the temperature distribution, demonstrating that with better regulation of the absorbing effect, a uniform temperature distribution is possible even in non-uniform composite geometries.

Item Type: Article
Keywords: polymer-matrix composites (PMCs), carbon fibre, cure behaviour, microwave absorbing materials
Divisions: Applied Science, Computing and Engineering
Depositing User: Hayley Dennis
Date Deposited: 01 Dec 2021 11:38
Last Modified: 01 Dec 2021 11:38
URI: https://wrexham.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/17830

Actions (login required)

Edit Item Edit Item