Effect of Degree of Cure on Viscoelastic Behavior of Polymers and their Composites

Abstract: Reinforced polymer composites consist of continuous fibers embedded in a polymer matrix. The matrix is usually a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin. When thermosetting matrices are cured during the manufacture of composite parts, residual stresses develop within the part during the manufacture due primarily the thermally and chemically induced volumetric strains imposed on them. This can lead to shape distortions and sometimes weakening of the structure itself. Curing is the manufacturing process in which the thermoset resin is transformed from a liquid to a solid material. The molecular mechanisms involved in this process are quite complex and not well understood. In the macro-level, in addition to volumetric strains, heat is also generated since most thermoset polymerization reactions are exothermic. The mechanical properties of the thermoset also undergo dramatic changes. The material changes from an initial liquid state to a rubbery gel and finally to a vitrified glassy state. In modern day composite manufacturing, to accommodate for the shape distortions caused due to residual stress formation, the mold geometry is compensated. To do this, accurate predictions of the distortion behavior is preferred via computer simulations. This in turn requires simple mathematical models that can replicate the complex processes that take place during manufacture. One such process that requires attention is the curing of the thermoset. While models exist that assume elastic behavior during cure, they are not accurate throughout the entire cure process. Models based on viscoelastic material during cure offer better prospects in this perspective. However, currently models that are based on full viscoelasticity are either not well defined or are computationally tasking. Viscoelastic materials can be classified further in to thermorheologically simple and complex materials depending on their molecular weights. In simpler terms, thermorheologically simple materials are those that obey the principles of time-temperature superposition (TTS). TTS requires that all response times (i.e., all relaxation or retardation time), depend equally on temperature. This is expressed using the temperature shift function. Master curves can be then generated extending the time scale beyond the range that could normally be covered in a single experiment. However to fully understand the development of viscoelasticity during cure it is also necessary that the effects of the degree of cure of the thermoset on these times be included in the model definition. This requires defining a cure shift function along with the temperature shift function. In the presented work, an attempt is made to develop a simplified methodology to characterize the viscoelastic material properties during curing. Two different methods are investigated in a DMTA instrument to determine the effects of curing on the glassy state of the resin system LY5052/HY5052. A cure shift function was identified in the process. Based on observations it was concluded that the total shift function could be possibly defined as a product of the temperature and cure shift functions. Unique super-master curves were generated as a result. However, these curves showed a dependency of the rubbery modulus on the degree of cure. Hence, in the second paper, the effect of the degree of cure on the rubbery modulus was investigated. Subsequently a model was reformulated from an existing one and this was used to further simplify the super-master curves. Following dynamic testing, it was necessary that macroscopic testing is performed to corroborate the results. The macroscopic experiments utilized for this purpose was stress relaxation tests to determine the viscoelastic Poisson’s ratio of neat resin. The Poisson’s ratio in particular is an important property to study, since it’s interaction with the fiber during curing is critical in the study of residual stresses. The focus of the study is to determine if there is a dependency of the Poisson’s ratio on degree of cure and whether master curves can be generated by horizontal shifting of data. Literature pertaining to the dependency of the Poisson’s ratio on degree of cure is scarce. If appropriate horizontal shifting can be performed, it can be easily compared to the results from dynamic testing to check if the shift factors are truly universal. Also presented is a brief study of the effect of degree of cure and time on the development of viscoplastic strains during curing. This is done by performing creep tests on composite specimens with varying degrees of cure. The experimental results were then used to validate the well-known Zapas-Crissman model for viscoplastic strain evolution with time and investigate how it is influenced by the cure state.