ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a new mould which was especially designed to prevent loss of matrix resin during compression moulding. It discusses the results of impregnated fibre-reinforced polyester-polyether and ethylene-vinyl-acetate elastomers. Fibre reinforced thermoplastic composites are extensively used for various applications in aerospace and automobile, construction where high performance materials are essential. These materials possess several advantages over thermoset composites, including processability, short moulding cycles, increased shelf life, damage tolerance, good physical properties, excellent chemical and corrosion resistance, material quality consistency and high economic return on recycling. Under normal fabrication conditions, loss of matrix resin is inevitable due to the high viscosity of the thermoplastic matrix resin. This loss can be greatly reduced by using a combination of a specially constructed mould and blend-setting of matrix resin and reinforcing fibre. Most research has carried out in the area of thermoplastic elastomer composites using rigid semi-crystalline matrix resin whilst flexible thermoplastic elastomers have been ignored.
