Mechanisms Controlling Particle Distribution in Infusion Molded Composites

This article presents results from an experimental investigation in which two grades of aluminatrihydroxide (ATH) particles are added to liquid resin and used in infusion molding experiments. Based on the results, potential key mechanisms controlling resin flow and hence also the final particle distribution are proposed. A pore doublet model is proposed to explain the seemingly random spatial distribution of particle-dense regions within the final material. These dense regions are found within flow channels, at locations where local shear strain rates are low. This suggests that they are formed as a consequence of a Bingham type of viscosity behavior observed for the suspension and/or due to filtering of particles during fiber bundle impregnation.