Solvent-free, liquid processable Bt resin/glass fibre reinforced composites

Bismaleimide-triazine (BT) resins are a class of high performance thermoset matrices that has historically suffered from poor processability. In this work, a novel BT resin is successfully utilised to produce woven glass composite laminates using a room temperature, vacuum-assisted resin infusion technique. The suitability of the first step of the cure cycle to composite manufacture is validated using isothermal dynamic scanning calorimetry. An initial dwell period at 170 °C for two hours facilitates sufficient conversion to enable the use of industry standard consumables, negating the need for more expensive materials and tooling. Fibres with three different surface treatments (unsized, aminosilane-, and Volan^TM-functionalised) are compared in terms of processability, and mechanical and temperature performance. Volan^TM-functionalised fibre composites are found to exhibit superior mechanical performance, with a short beam shear strength of 65 MPa and a storage modulus of 7.93 GPa. The different sizings also lead to variations in temperature performance, with changes to the behaviour around the glass transition temperature evident between the different composite plates.