The effect of particle toughening layers on the material processibility and forming characteristics of carbon fibre/epoxy prepregs

Introducing toughening materials between laminas is a common approach to enhance the interlaminar toughness of composite materials, thereby improving the crack resistance and damage tolerance. Various physical formats of toughening materials, including particles, veils, and mats, have been introduced. However, the incorporation of solid and separately phased tougheners alters not only the mechanical characteristics of prepregs but also their processability during layup and forming. This alteration can lead to unpredictable forming behaviour and the generation of defects during manufacturing, which has not been extensively investigated. In this work, the effect of interleaving tougheners on the forming and consolidation characteristics of carbon/epoxy prepregs was investigated by measuring the interply friction and bulk factor of prepreg stacks incorporating polyamide particle tougheners of various sizes and shapes at the ply interfaces. Additionally, the feasibility of single diaphragm forming without heating by utilising the low friction characteristic of the particle-coated prepreg surface was explored.