INFLUENCE OF PROCESSING AND TESTING CONDITIONS ON THE MECHANICAL-BEHAVIOR OF SHEET-MOLDING COMPOUND LAMINATES

Studies have been carried out in order to optimize the compression-mou lding cycle for two classes of commercial sheet-moulding compounds, st andard and low-shrink prepregs. The laminates have been moulded at dif ferent temperature and pressure conditions, and afterwards their mecha nical behaviour has been analysed by flexural and tensile tests at var ious temperatures and strain rates. Furthermore, dynamic-mechanical me asurements have been used to correlate temperature-dependent viscoelas tic properties, and the structure of the moulded materials.