PROCESSING CHARACTERISTICS IN DIFFERENT SEMICRYSTALLINE THERMOPLASTICCOMPOSITES USING PROCESS SIMULATED LAMINATE (PSL) METHODOLOGY

Issues related to process-induced internal stresses are very important in processing semi-crystalline thermoplastic composites. Internal str esses have potential impact on the processing outcomes as well as the performance of composite materials. The effect of processing parameter s on the factors leading to internal stresses was considered in this s tudy. Morphological gradients and residual stress profiles in semi-cry stalline thermoplastic composites were evaluated using the Process Sim ulated Laminate technique that has been applied to poly-ether-ether-ke tone/carbon fiber (PEEK/CF). The thermoplastic composite materials inv estigated in this study were polyethylene-terephthalate/carbon fiber ( PET/CF) and poly-ether-ketone-ketone/long discontinuous carbon fiber ( PEKK-LDF(TM)), in comparison with other material systems. It is shown that the Process Simulated Laminate technique can be used to examine t he processing characteristics of polymeric composites and can provide a rational methodology for comparison of different material systems.