Author(s)

M. Shinohara, S. Isshiki, Y. Fukushima, T. Katayama & K. Tanaka

Abstract

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) are attracting attention in the automotive industry for their light-weighted properties. The thermoset plastics like epoxies are mainly used as a matrix of CFRP in such an industry. The curing time of the thermosetting resin is timely leading to poor productivity. Within thermoplastic resins, polycarbonate (PC) is excellent for its impact properties; thus it is expected to be used for matrices of composite materials for automotive. Moreover, in order to obtain outstanding strength, the application of continuous fiber is anticipated for reinforcing fiber. However, large-scale equipment is needed and the effort of press load is required in order to impregnate PC into continuous fiber. Recently UD tape of CF/PC in which PC matrix has been impregnated to a CF bundle has been developed. In this study, carbon fiber reinforced polycarbonate (CF/PC) was moulded by using UD tape and the practicality of UD tape was examined by studying the mechanical property aiming at shortening the moulding time. Keywords: carbon fiber polycarbonate (PC), CFRTP, UD tape, plain weave, non crimp fabric. 1 Introduction Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) have advantages in high-specific strength and high-specific modulus, hence the demand of CFRP is increasing in the aerospace, automotive and sports industries etc [1–8]. Especially the thermoset plastics like epoxis are mainly used as a matrix of CFRP in the

Keywords

carbon fiber polycarbonate (PC), CFRTP, UD tape, plain weave, non crimp fabric.