The European Conference on Composite Materials (ECCM) is Europe‘s leading conference on composite materials. This year it took place from 24-28 June 2018 in Athens, Greece (ECCM18). The conference is an internationally renowned platform for scientists and engineers in the fields of aerospace, automotive and mechanical engineering and brings the scientific and the application-oriented worlds together. During this conference, the EPFL/Lausanne Swiss Tech Convention Center was selected as the location of the ECCM conference in 2022. Capacity Area A3 partners are looking forward to displaying their composite/mobility activities within SCCER Mobility during this upcoming conference.

Capacity Area A3, that develops new lightweight thermoplastic and bioinspired materials for application in the transport sector, were well represented at ECCM18 with several scientific talks:

Baris Caglar (EPFL): “In-plane permeability characterization using an inverse method based on flow front visualization” (download conference paper): In this study, we propose a method to reduce the total number of required one-dimensional resin flow experiments for in-plane permeability characterization of isotropic fabrics by achieving either: (i) a characterization and further statistical analysis of spatially varying permeability in the presence of fabric irregularity and possible race-tracking along the fabric-mold wall interface, or (ii) permeability characterization at more than a single fiber volume fraction in an experiment.

Clemens Dransfeld (FHNW): “Gradient interphases between high-Tg epoxy and polyetherimide for advanced joining processes” (download conference paper): Carbon fibre reinforced polymer parts are functionalized with thermoplastic surfaces in order to be assembled through welding as a cost-efficient alternative to traditional joining techniques. Details on the interphase formation between high-Tg epoxy and polyetherimide at different curing temperatures are reported.

Ayyoub Kabachi (ETH Zurich): “Flow induced sample deformations in out-of-plane permeability measurement” (download conference paper): For efficient design of out-of-plane injection processes, compaction and saturated permeability need to be thoroughly understood. The aim of this study is to validate a numerical model, which describes saturated out-of-plane flow including hydrodynamic compaction and calculates the apparent permeability at different pressure differences.

Kunal Masania (ETH Zurich): “Quantifying the role of mineral bridges on the fracture resistance of nacre-like composites” (download conference paper): In this study, we fabricate tunable nacre-like composites from highly aligned alumina platelets, interconnected by titanium mineral bridges and infiltrated with epoxy matrix phase, and experimentally quantify the influence of mineral bridge density on the fracture properties.

Damiano Salvatori (EPFL): “Enhancing permeability of a woven glass-fabric preform with 3D spacers” (download conference paper): Resin transfer molding (RTM) is a process for production of continuous fiber-reinforced polymer composites in which the liquid matrix is injected in a rigid mold containing the reinforcing fabric, which has to be fully impregnated prior to solidification. The goal of the present study is to reduce the impregnation time in RTM process by introducing a second solid phase in the fabric stack.

Fabian Schadt (FHNW; photo): “Nonlinear bending compliance of closed-sectioned composite beam structures by local compression flange buckling” (download conference paper): We present a structural concept for passive spanwise bending shape-adaption that uses compression flange buckling in beams to achieve a tailored stiffness reduction in the elastic domain. Numerical and experimental studies show promising results.

Wojciech Szmyt (FHNW): “Carbon fibre-carbon nanotube multiscale composites - nanoengineering of the fibre surface for protection in extreme processing conditions” (download conference paper): Growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on carbon fibre (CF) results in a secondary nanoscale reinforcement of a composite. CNT growth however tends to deteriorate CF mechanical properties. We propose a new strategy of ozone pre-treatment of CF in order to obtain covalent bonds between CF and the alumina.

Panagiota Tsotra (FHNW): “Thermo-oxidative degradation of PEEK at high temperatures”: In this study, the thermo-oxidative degradation of poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) during very short cycles, in the range of 30 up to 300 s, at temperatures higher than 400°C was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).

Maximilian Volk (ETH Zurich): “Thermoplastic composite materials for high voltage insulator applications” (download conference paper): This study investigates the potential of thermoplastic composites based on commingled yarns for high voltage insulator applications. Compared to the traditionally used thermoset materials, thermoplastics offer the benefit of high productions speeds, volatile organic compound (VOC) free processing and recyclability.

Wilhelm Woigk (ETH Zurich): “Damping behaviour of bio-inspired natural fibre composites” (download conference paper): In this study, the design principles of two biological composites, i.e. nacre and wood, were studied to design composites out of engineering materials, which display a damping behaviour like the natural systems and are producible on a larger scale.

Lucian Zweifel (FHNW): “Development of a resistance welding process for thermoset fiber composite components with co-cured thermoplastic boundary layer”: Within this study, the resistance welding of thermoset composite with thermoplastic boundary layers was investigated. The specimens were prepared by co-curing a thermoplastic layer, which created an interphase with the epoxy matrix by reaction induced phase separation.