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Large composite structures manufactured out-of-autoclave require the assembly and bonding of multiple parts. A one-shot cure manufacturing method is demonstrated using powder epoxy. Lap shear plates were manufactured from powder epoxy and glass fiber-reinforced plastic with four different bonding cases were assessed: secondary bonding using standard adhesive film, secondary bonding using powder epoxy, co-curing, and co-curing plus a novel Z-pinning method. This work investigates the lap shear strength of the four cases in accordance with ISO 4587:2003. Damage mechanisms and fracture behavior were explored using digital image correlation (DIC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. VTFA400 adhesive had a load at break 24.8% lower than secondary bonding using powder epoxy. Co-curing increased the load at break by 7.8% compared to powder epoxy secondary bonding, with the co-cured and pinned joint resulting in a 45.4% increase. In the co-cured and co-cured plus pinned cases, DIC indicated premature failure due to resin spew. SEM indicated shear failure of resin areas and a large amount of fiber pullout in both these cases, with pinning delaying fracture phenomena resulting in increased lap joint strength. This highlights the potential of powder epoxy for the co-curing of large composite structures out-of-autoclave.
Thomas Noble; James R. Davidson; Christophe Floreani; Ankur Bajpai; William Moses; Thomas Dooher; Alistair McIlhagger; Edward Archer; Conchúr M. Ó Brádaigh; Colin Robert. Powder Epoxy for One-Shot Cure, Out-of-Autoclave Applications: Lap Shear Strength and Z-Pinning Study. Journal of Composites Science 2021, 5, 225 .
AMA StyleThomas Noble, James R. Davidson, Christophe Floreani, Ankur Bajpai, William Moses, Thomas Dooher, Alistair McIlhagger, Edward Archer, Conchúr M. Ó Brádaigh, Colin Robert. Powder Epoxy for One-Shot Cure, Out-of-Autoclave Applications: Lap Shear Strength and Z-Pinning Study. Journal of Composites Science. 2021; 5 (9):225.
Chicago/Turabian StyleThomas Noble; James R. Davidson; Christophe Floreani; Ankur Bajpai; William Moses; Thomas Dooher; Alistair McIlhagger; Edward Archer; Conchúr M. Ó Brádaigh; Colin Robert. 2021. "Powder Epoxy for One-Shot Cure, Out-of-Autoclave Applications: Lap Shear Strength and Z-Pinning Study." Journal of Composites Science 5, no. 9: 225.
Powder epoxy composites have several advantages for the processing of large composite structures, including low exotherm, viscosity and material cost, as well as the ability to carry out separate melting and curing operations. This work studies the mode I and mixed-mode toughness, as well as the in-plane mechanical properties of unidirectional stitched glass and carbon fibre reinforced powder epoxy composites. The interlaminar fracture toughness is studied in pure mode I by performing Double Cantilever Beam tests and at 25% mode II, 50% mode II and 75% mode II by performing Mixed Mode Bending testing according to the ASTM D5528-13 test standard. The tensile and compressive properties are comparable to that of standard epoxy composites but both the mode I and mixed-mode toughness are shown to be significantly higher than that of other epoxy composites, even when comparing to toughened epoxies. The mixed-mode critical strain energy release rate as a function of the delamination mode ratio is also provided. This paper highlights the potential for powder epoxy composites in the manufacturing of structures where there is a risk of delamination.
Christophe Floreani; Colin Robert; Parvez Alam; Peter Davies; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Mixed-Mode Interlaminar Fracture Toughness of Glass and Carbon Fibre Powder Epoxy Composites—For Design of Wind and Tidal Turbine Blades. Materials 2021, 14, 2103 .
AMA StyleChristophe Floreani, Colin Robert, Parvez Alam, Peter Davies, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Mixed-Mode Interlaminar Fracture Toughness of Glass and Carbon Fibre Powder Epoxy Composites—For Design of Wind and Tidal Turbine Blades. Materials. 2021; 14 (9):2103.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristophe Floreani; Colin Robert; Parvez Alam; Peter Davies; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. 2021. "Mixed-Mode Interlaminar Fracture Toughness of Glass and Carbon Fibre Powder Epoxy Composites—For Design of Wind and Tidal Turbine Blades." Materials 14, no. 9: 2103.
Erosion of tidal turbine blades in the marine environment is a major material challenge due to the high thrust and torsional loading at the rotating surfaces, which limits the ability to harness energy from tidal sources. Polymer–matrix composites can exhibit leading-blade edge erosion due to marine flows containing salt and solid particles of sand. Anti-erosion coatings can be used for more ductility at the blade surface, but the discontinuity between the coating and the stiffer composite can be a site of failure. Therefore, it is desirable to have a polymer matrix with a gradient of toughness, with a tougher, more ductile polymer matrix at the blade surface, transitioning gradually to the high stiffness matrix needed to provide high composite mechanical properties. In this study, multiple powder epoxy systems were investigated, and two were selected to manufacture unidirectional glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (UD-GFRP) plates with different epoxy ratios at the surface and interior plies, leading to a toughening gradient within the plate. The gradient plates were then mechanically compared to their standard counterparts. Solid particle erosion testing was carried out at various test conditions and parameters on UD-GFRP specimens in a slurry environment. The experiments performed were based on a model of the UK marine environment for a typical tidal energy farm with respect to the concentration of saltwater and the size of solid particle erodent. The morphologies of the surfaces were examined by SEM. Erosion maps were generated based on the result showing significant differences for materials of different stiffness in such conditions.
Emadelddin Hassan; Iasonas Zekos; Philip Jansson; Toa Pecur; Christophe Floreani; Colin Robert; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh; Margaret Stack. Erosion Mapping of Through-Thickness Toughened Powder Epoxy Gradient Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) Plates for Tidal Turbine Blades. Lubricants 2021, 9, 22 .
AMA StyleEmadelddin Hassan, Iasonas Zekos, Philip Jansson, Toa Pecur, Christophe Floreani, Colin Robert, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh, Margaret Stack. Erosion Mapping of Through-Thickness Toughened Powder Epoxy Gradient Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) Plates for Tidal Turbine Blades. Lubricants. 2021; 9 (3):22.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEmadelddin Hassan; Iasonas Zekos; Philip Jansson; Toa Pecur; Christophe Floreani; Colin Robert; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh; Margaret Stack. 2021. "Erosion Mapping of Through-Thickness Toughened Powder Epoxy Gradient Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) Plates for Tidal Turbine Blades." Lubricants 9, no. 3: 22.
4D printing can be defined as the fabrication of structures using smart materials that allow the final object to change its shape, properties, or function in response to an external stimulus such as light, heat, or moisture. The available technologies, materials, and applications have evolved significantly since their first development in 2013, with prospective applications within the aerospace, manufacturing, and soft robotic industries. This review focuses on the printing technologies and smart materials currently available for fabricating these structures. The applications of 4D printing within biomedicine are explored with a focus on tissue engineering, drug delivery, and artificial organs. Finally, some ideas for potential uses are proposed. 4D printing is making its mark with seemingly unlimited potential applications, however, its use in mainstream medical treatments relies on further developments and extensive research investments.
Ankur Bajpai; Anna Baigent; Sakshika Raghav; Conchúr Ó. Brádaigh; Vasileios Koutsos; Norbert Radacsi. 4D Printing: Materials, Technologies, and Future Applications in the Biomedical Field. Sustainability 2020, 12, 10628 .
AMA StyleAnkur Bajpai, Anna Baigent, Sakshika Raghav, Conchúr Ó. Brádaigh, Vasileios Koutsos, Norbert Radacsi. 4D Printing: Materials, Technologies, and Future Applications in the Biomedical Field. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (24):10628.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAnkur Bajpai; Anna Baigent; Sakshika Raghav; Conchúr Ó. Brádaigh; Vasileios Koutsos; Norbert Radacsi. 2020. "4D Printing: Materials, Technologies, and Future Applications in the Biomedical Field." Sustainability 12, no. 24: 10628.
Thick-section composite parts are difficult to manufacture using thermosetting resins due to their exothermic curing reaction. If processing is not carefully controlled, the build-up of heat can lead to warpage or material degradation. This risk can be reduced or removed with the use of a low-exotherm resin system. Material and process models are presented which describe vacuum-bag-only processing of thick-section composites using a novel, low-exotherm epoxy powder. One-dimensional resin flow and heat transfer models are presented which govern the fabric impregnation and temperature evolution, respectively. A semi-empirical equation is presented which describes the sintering of the epoxy powder. The models are coupled via laminate thickness change, which is determined for a simplified ply microstructure. The resulting system of equations are discretised and solved numerically using a finite difference code. A case study is performed on a 100-ply laminate, and the advantages and disadvantages of using epoxy powders are discussed.
James M. Maguire; Pavel Simacek; Suresh G. Advani; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Novel epoxy powder for manufacturing thick-section composite parts under vacuum-bag-only conditions. Part I: Through-thickness process modelling. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing 2020, 136, 105969 .
AMA StyleJames M. Maguire, Pavel Simacek, Suresh G. Advani, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Novel epoxy powder for manufacturing thick-section composite parts under vacuum-bag-only conditions. Part I: Through-thickness process modelling. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing. 2020; 136 ():105969.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJames M. Maguire; Pavel Simacek; Suresh G. Advani; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. 2020. "Novel epoxy powder for manufacturing thick-section composite parts under vacuum-bag-only conditions. Part I: Through-thickness process modelling." Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing 136, no. : 105969.
Validations of a one-dimensional process model are carried out by manufacturing thick-section glass-fibre reinforced composite laminates with a low-exotherm epoxy powder. An experimental apparatus is developed which heats the laminates from one side while insulating the remaining sides (i.e. approximating one-dimensional heat transfer conditions). The experimental results are analysed and used to validate process models for the epoxy powder system. Process simulations are performed to analyse the influence of material format, laminate thickness change, and heating methods (i.e. one-sided heating vs two-sided heating, and heated tooling vs oven heating). It is shown that epoxy powder eliminates the risk of ‘thermal runaway’, but thermal and cure gradients persist for a conventional processing cycle. Methods to inhibit the evolution of these gradients are explored using process simulations. These methods include modifying the temperature cycle and using multiple epoxy powders with varied latent curing properties.
James M. Maguire; Kapileswar Nayak; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Novel epoxy powder for manufacturing thick-section composite parts under vacuum-bag-only conditions. Part II: Experimental validation and process investigations. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing 2020, 136, 105970 .
AMA StyleJames M. Maguire, Kapileswar Nayak, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Novel epoxy powder for manufacturing thick-section composite parts under vacuum-bag-only conditions. Part II: Experimental validation and process investigations. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing. 2020; 136 ():105970.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJames M. Maguire; Kapileswar Nayak; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. 2020. "Novel epoxy powder for manufacturing thick-section composite parts under vacuum-bag-only conditions. Part II: Experimental validation and process investigations." Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing 136, no. : 105970.
This study aims to address barriers which remain to adoption of reactive thermoplastic resin transfer moulding in terms of knowledge and equipment. Glass fibre reinforced polyamide 6 composites with ~52% fibre volume fraction and ~1% voids were produced within 5 min using thermoplastic resin transfer moulding by injection of low viscosity monomer precursors and in-situ polymerisation. Unidirectional laminates were produced using injection pressures of around 10% of those required to achieve the same fibre volume fraction and degree of wet-out using a typical thermoset RTM resin, negating the need for expensive equipment. The equipment and process employed are described in detail and the quality and properties of the polymer matrix and composite laminates were characterised extensively in terms of chemical, thermo-morphological and mechanical properties. The paper demonstrates the high quality parts that can be achieved by accurately controlling some of the most important parameters.
James J. Murray; Colin Robert; Klaus Gleich; Edward D. McCarthy; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Manufacturing of unidirectional stitched glass fabric reinforced polyamide 6 by thermoplastic resin transfer moulding. Materials & Design 2020, 189, 108512 .
AMA StyleJames J. Murray, Colin Robert, Klaus Gleich, Edward D. McCarthy, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Manufacturing of unidirectional stitched glass fabric reinforced polyamide 6 by thermoplastic resin transfer moulding. Materials & Design. 2020; 189 ():108512.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJames J. Murray; Colin Robert; Klaus Gleich; Edward D. McCarthy; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. 2020. "Manufacturing of unidirectional stitched glass fabric reinforced polyamide 6 by thermoplastic resin transfer moulding." Materials & Design 189, no. : 108512.
Carbon fibres with three different sizing agents were used to manufacture unidirectional composites based on a powder epoxy resin. Powder epoxy processing was investigated as a route for fast, cost-effective manufacturing of out-of-autoclave composites compared to more time-consuming vacuum infusion technologies. In this work, a heat-activated epoxy powder was used as a resin system in low-cost vacuum-bag-only prepregs for thick composite parts that are required in the renewable energy industry (e.g. wind turbine blade roots). The importance of interfacial bonding between fibres and the matrix is shown and the impact on the ultimate mechanical performance of the manufactured composites demonstrated. The surface characteristics of the sizing on the carbon fibres were investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy. Results showed that the amount of sizing on the fibres' surfaces was inextricably linked with surface roughness and coverage. This in turn influenced the mechanical and chemical interlocking phenomena occurring at the fibre/matrix interface. The composites’ mechanical performance was evaluated using tensile, flexural and interlaminar fracture toughness tests. Fractographic analysis using optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was likewise employed to analyse the fracture surfaces of the tested/failed composites. Interlaminar fracture toughness testing (DCB Mode-I) revealed that the interfacial adhesion differences could alter the fracture resistance of the composites, hence emphasizing the importance of the interfacial bonding strength between the polymer matrix and the carbon fibres.
Dimitrios Mamalis; James J. Murray; Jake McClements; Dimitrios Tsikritsis; Vasileios Koutsos; Edward D. McCarthy; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Novel carbon-fibre powder-epoxy composites: Interface phenomena and interlaminar fracture behaviour. Composites Part B: Engineering 2019, 174, 107012 .
AMA StyleDimitrios Mamalis, James J. Murray, Jake McClements, Dimitrios Tsikritsis, Vasileios Koutsos, Edward D. McCarthy, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Novel carbon-fibre powder-epoxy composites: Interface phenomena and interlaminar fracture behaviour. Composites Part B: Engineering. 2019; 174 ():107012.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDimitrios Mamalis; James J. Murray; Jake McClements; Dimitrios Tsikritsis; Vasileios Koutsos; Edward D. McCarthy; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. 2019. "Novel carbon-fibre powder-epoxy composites: Interface phenomena and interlaminar fracture behaviour." Composites Part B: Engineering 174, no. : 107012.
In this work, a comparative performance study was conducted on glass fibre-reinforced thermoplastic acrylic and thermosetting epoxy laminates produced by vacuum-assisted resin transfer moulding. Mechanical characterisation revealed that the acrylic-based composite had superior transverse tensile strength and mode-I fracture toughness to the epoxy composite, while longitudinal flexural properties and short beam shear strength were found to be comparable. Dissimilar damage evolution behaviour was observed in both materials during tensile testing. The materials' thermomechanical behaviour has been assessed as functions of temperature. Finally, fractographic investigations of shear and mode-I fracture behaviour revealed distinct fracture mechanisms that complement the findings from mechanical and thermomechanical analyses.
Winifred Obande; Dimitrios Mamalis; Dipa Ray; Liu Yang; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Mechanical and thermomechanical characterisation of vacuum-infused thermoplastic- and thermoset-based composites. Materials & Design 2019, 175, 107828 .
AMA StyleWinifred Obande, Dimitrios Mamalis, Dipa Ray, Liu Yang, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Mechanical and thermomechanical characterisation of vacuum-infused thermoplastic- and thermoset-based composites. Materials & Design. 2019; 175 ():107828.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWinifred Obande; Dimitrios Mamalis; Dipa Ray; Liu Yang; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. 2019. "Mechanical and thermomechanical characterisation of vacuum-infused thermoplastic- and thermoset-based composites." Materials & Design 175, no. : 107828.
Engineering structures are often subjected to the conditions of cyclic-loading, which onsets material fatigue, detrimentally affecting the service-life and damage tolerance of components and joints. Carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) are high-strength, low-weight composites that are gaining ubiquity in place of metals and glass fibre reinforced plastics (GFRP) not only due to their outstanding strength-to-weight properties, but also because carbon fibres are relatively inert to environmental degradation and as such, show potential as corrosion resistant materials. The effects of cyclic loading on the fatigue of CFRP are detailed in several papers. As such, collating research on CFRP fatigue into a single document is a worthwhile exercise, as it will benefit the engineering-readership interested in designing fatigue resistant structures and components using CFRP. This review article aims to provide the most relevant and up-to-date information on the fatigue of CFRP. The review focuses in particular on defining fatigue and the mechanics of cyclically-loaded composites, elucidating the fatigue response and fatigue properties of CFRP in different forms, discussing the importance of environmental factors on the fatigue performance and service-life, and summarising the different approaches taken to modelling fatigue in CFRP.
Parvez Alam; Dimitrios Mamalis; Colin Robert; Christophe Floreani; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. The fatigue of carbon fibre reinforced plastics - A review. Composites Part B: Engineering 2019, 166, 555 -579.
AMA StyleParvez Alam, Dimitrios Mamalis, Colin Robert, Christophe Floreani, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. The fatigue of carbon fibre reinforced plastics - A review. Composites Part B: Engineering. 2019; 166 ():555-579.
Chicago/Turabian StyleParvez Alam; Dimitrios Mamalis; Colin Robert; Christophe Floreani; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. 2019. "The fatigue of carbon fibre reinforced plastics - A review." Composites Part B: Engineering 166, no. : 555-579.
Novel reactive thermoplastic resin systems such as Elium® have attracted significant research attention for composite applications because they combine the low-cost processibility of thermosets and the recyclability of TPs. In this work, the viscoelastic and impact behaviours of glass fibre-reinforced composites, containing Elium® and a commercial epoxy matrix were evaluated. To complement observations from both characterisation techniques, the fracture characteristics of both materials were also investigated by scanning electron microscopy.
Winifred Obande; Dipa Ray; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Viscoelastic and drop-weight impact properties of an acrylic-matrix composite and a conventional thermoset composite – A comparative study. Materials Letters 2018, 238, 38 -41.
AMA StyleWinifred Obande, Dipa Ray, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Viscoelastic and drop-weight impact properties of an acrylic-matrix composite and a conventional thermoset composite – A comparative study. Materials Letters. 2018; 238 ():38-41.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWinifred Obande; Dipa Ray; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. 2018. "Viscoelastic and drop-weight impact properties of an acrylic-matrix composite and a conventional thermoset composite – A comparative study." Materials Letters 238, no. : 38-41.
The manufacturing process of a new generation of thermoplastic fibre-metal laminates (TP-FMLs) was investigated. A vacuum assisted resin infusion method was used to produce the hybrid laminates. The effect of various chemical and physical treatments on the surface morphology of the aluminium (Al) alloy sheets and on the bond strength at the metal-composite interface was examined. The wettability, topography and chemical composition of the treated Al alloy sheets were studied by employing contact-angle goniometry, coherence scanning interferometry, profilometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results showed that the applied treatments on the Al alloy sheet changed the surface morphology and surface energy in a different degree, which in turn effectively enhanced the interfacial bond strength between the constituents. In addition, the flexural, interlaminar shear strength and interlaminar fracture toughness of the manufactured TP-FMLs with the optimum metal surface treatment were evaluated. The experimental results of the TP-FMLs were compared to an equivalent thermoplastic composite. The composite-metal interface and the fracture surface characteristics were examined under scanning electron microscopy. In-situ polymerisation was found to play a key role in bonding the treated Al alloy with the composite layer during manufacturing.
Dimitrios Mamalis; Winifred Obande; Vasileios Koutsos; Jane R. Blackford; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh; Dipa Ray. Novel thermoplastic fibre-metal laminates manufactured by vacuum resin infusion: The effect of surface treatments on interfacial bonding. Materials & Design 2018, 162, 331 -344.
AMA StyleDimitrios Mamalis, Winifred Obande, Vasileios Koutsos, Jane R. Blackford, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh, Dipa Ray. Novel thermoplastic fibre-metal laminates manufactured by vacuum resin infusion: The effect of surface treatments on interfacial bonding. Materials & Design. 2018; 162 ():331-344.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDimitrios Mamalis; Winifred Obande; Vasileios Koutsos; Jane R. Blackford; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh; Dipa Ray. 2018. "Novel thermoplastic fibre-metal laminates manufactured by vacuum resin infusion: The effect of surface treatments on interfacial bonding." Materials & Design 162, no. : 331-344.
This work presents details of manufacturing and testing of a carbon fibre polyetheretherketone induction-welded hat-stiffened panel. Mechanical testing is carried out to evaluate the performance of the welded assembly and results are compared with similar testing of an adhesively bonded panel. The results show that the welded panel and the bonded panel had similar load-bearing capacity (
M Flanagan; A Doyle; K Doyle; M Ward; M Bizeul; R Canavan; B Weafer; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh; Nm Harrison; J Goggins. Comparative manufacture and testing of induction- welded and adhesively bonded carbon fibre PEEK stiffened panels. Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials 2018, 32, 1622 -1649.
AMA StyleM Flanagan, A Doyle, K Doyle, M Ward, M Bizeul, R Canavan, B Weafer, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh, Nm Harrison, J Goggins. Comparative manufacture and testing of induction- welded and adhesively bonded carbon fibre PEEK stiffened panels. Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials. 2018; 32 (12):1622-1649.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM Flanagan; A Doyle; K Doyle; M Ward; M Bizeul; R Canavan; B Weafer; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh; Nm Harrison; J Goggins. 2018. "Comparative manufacture and testing of induction- welded and adhesively bonded carbon fibre PEEK stiffened panels." Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials 32, no. 12: 1622-1649.
Dimitrios Mamalis; Tomas Flanagan; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Effect of fibre straightness and sizing in carbon fibre reinforced powder epoxy composites. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing 2018, 110, 93 -105.
AMA StyleDimitrios Mamalis, Tomas Flanagan, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Effect of fibre straightness and sizing in carbon fibre reinforced powder epoxy composites. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing. 2018; 110 ():93-105.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDimitrios Mamalis; Tomas Flanagan; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. 2018. "Effect of fibre straightness and sizing in carbon fibre reinforced powder epoxy composites." Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing 110, no. : 93-105.
Tidal turbine blades are subject to harsh loading and environmental conditions, including large thrust and torsional loadings, relative to wind turbine blades, due to the high density of seawater, among other factors. The complex combination of these loadings, as well as water ingress and associated composite laminate saturation, have significant implications for blade design, affecting overall device design, stability, scalability, energy production and cost-effectiveness. This study investigates the effect of seawater ingress on composite material properties, and the associated design and life expectancy of tidal turbine blades in operating conditions. The fatigue properties of dry and water-saturated glass fibre reinforced laminates are experimentally evaluated and incorporated into tidal blade design. The fatigue lives of pitch- and stall-regulated tidal turbine blades are found to be altered by seawater immersion. Water-saturation is shown to reduce blade life about 3 years for stall-regulated blades and by about 1–2 years for pitch-regulated blades. The effect of water ingress can be compensated by increased laminate thickness. The tidal turbine blade design methodology presented here can be used for evaluation of blade life expectancy and tidal device energy production.
Ciaran R. Kennedy; Vesna Jaksic; Sean B. Leen; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Fatigue life of pitch- and stall-regulated composite tidal turbine blades. Renewable Energy 2018, 121, 688 -699.
AMA StyleCiaran R. Kennedy, Vesna Jaksic, Sean B. Leen, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Fatigue life of pitch- and stall-regulated composite tidal turbine blades. Renewable Energy. 2018; 121 ():688-699.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCiaran R. Kennedy; Vesna Jaksic; Sean B. Leen; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. 2018. "Fatigue life of pitch- and stall-regulated composite tidal turbine blades." Renewable Energy 121, no. : 688-699.
The aging of polymer-composites is a ubiquitous problem that leads to the degradation of mechanical properties, reducing the service life of an engineered structure, and potentialising premature, catastrophic modes of failure. Polymer-composites used in moist or aqueous environments are subject to moisture influenced changes that affect their physical, chemical and mechanical properties. The coupled problem of polymer-composites aging within an aqueous environment is currently seeing a surge in research efforts. This is partly due to that materials used in renewable energy structures, such as tidal turbine blades, are now high-priority concerns and there is mounting societal pressure for the development of clean energy technology. The coupling of aging and water ingress in polymer-composites is not a trivial subject and is a very slow process, but as a consequence of clean energy technology concerns, there is an ever growing impetus towards the research of exacerbated rates of water aging by the integration of a third influence, heat. Heat is a means by which the rate of aging can be magnified and this combination of heat induced aging with water ingress, termed hygrothermal aging, is the topic of this review. In particular we focus on carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP), as these are composites with superior mechanical properties, a high resistance to corrosion, and are considered to be important materials for the future of clean energy technology. Through this review we aim to elucidate the relevance and applicability of hygrothermal aging to the understanding of CFRP composites in marine structures such as tidal turbine blades.
Parvez Alam; Colin Robert; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Tidal turbine blade composites - A review on the effects of hygrothermal aging on the properties of CFRP. Composites Part B: Engineering 2018, 149, 248 -259.
AMA StyleParvez Alam, Colin Robert, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Tidal turbine blade composites - A review on the effects of hygrothermal aging on the properties of CFRP. Composites Part B: Engineering. 2018; 149 ():248-259.
Chicago/Turabian StyleParvez Alam; Colin Robert; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. 2018. "Tidal turbine blade composites - A review on the effects of hygrothermal aging on the properties of CFRP." Composites Part B: Engineering 149, no. : 248-259.
James M. Maguire; Kapileswar Nayak; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Characterisation of epoxy powders for processing thick-section composite structures. Materials & Design 2018, 139, 112 -121.
AMA StyleJames M. Maguire, Kapileswar Nayak, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Characterisation of epoxy powders for processing thick-section composite structures. Materials & Design. 2018; 139 ():112-121.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJames M. Maguire; Kapileswar Nayak; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. 2018. "Characterisation of epoxy powders for processing thick-section composite structures." Materials & Design 139, no. : 112-121.
Out-of-Autoclave manufacturing methods, specifically Automated Tape Placement (ATP) and induction welding, used in the fabrication of a stiffened thermoplastic demonstrator panel, are presented in this study. The demonstrator panel consists of two stiffeners induction welded to a flat skin, to form a typical load bearing aerospace sub-component. The skin of the panel is manufactured from uni-directional Carbon Fibre (CF) Polyetheretherkeytone (PEEK) using laser assisted Automated Tape Placement (ATP) and the stiffeners are press formed from woven CF-PEEK. The stiffeners are fusion bonded to the skin using a continuous induction welding process. A susceptor material is used at the interface to ensure the required heating is concentrated at the weldline. Microscopy was used to examine the manufactured coupons for defects. Destructive testing was carried out to evaluate the strength of the overall assembly. The work shows that assemblies manufactured using continuous induction welding and ATP are suitable for load bearing aerospace applications.
M. Flanagan; J. Goggins; A. Doyle; B. Weafer; M. Ward; M. Bizeul; R. Canavan; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh; K. Doyle; N. Harrison. Out-of-autoclave manufacturing of a stiffened thermoplastic carbon fibre PEEK panel. AIP Conference Proceedings 2017, 1896, 030014 .
AMA StyleM. Flanagan, J. Goggins, A. Doyle, B. Weafer, M. Ward, M. Bizeul, R. Canavan, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh, K. Doyle, N. Harrison. Out-of-autoclave manufacturing of a stiffened thermoplastic carbon fibre PEEK panel. AIP Conference Proceedings. 2017; 1896 (1):030014.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM. Flanagan; J. Goggins; A. Doyle; B. Weafer; M. Ward; M. Bizeul; R. Canavan; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh; K. Doyle; N. Harrison. 2017. "Out-of-autoclave manufacturing of a stiffened thermoplastic carbon fibre PEEK panel." AIP Conference Proceedings 1896, no. 1: 030014.
M. Flanagan; D.M. Grogan; J. Goggins; S. Appel; K. Doyle; S.B. Leen; C.M. Ó Brádaigh. Permeability of carbon fibre PEEK composites for cryogenic storage tanks of future space launchers. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing 2017, 101, 173 -184.
AMA StyleM. Flanagan, D.M. Grogan, J. Goggins, S. Appel, K. Doyle, S.B. Leen, C.M. Ó Brádaigh. Permeability of carbon fibre PEEK composites for cryogenic storage tanks of future space launchers. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing. 2017; 101 ():173-184.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM. Flanagan; D.M. Grogan; J. Goggins; S. Appel; K. Doyle; S.B. Leen; C.M. Ó Brádaigh. 2017. "Permeability of carbon fibre PEEK composites for cryogenic storage tanks of future space launchers." Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing 101, no. : 173-184.
Brendan R. Murray; Adrian Doyle; P.J. Feerick; Christopher O.A. Semprimoschnig; Sean B. Leen; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Rotational moulding of PEEK polymer liners with carbon fibre/PEEK over tape-placement for space cryogenic fuel tanks. Materials & Design 2017, 132, 567 -581.
AMA StyleBrendan R. Murray, Adrian Doyle, P.J. Feerick, Christopher O.A. Semprimoschnig, Sean B. Leen, Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. Rotational moulding of PEEK polymer liners with carbon fibre/PEEK over tape-placement for space cryogenic fuel tanks. Materials & Design. 2017; 132 ():567-581.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBrendan R. Murray; Adrian Doyle; P.J. Feerick; Christopher O.A. Semprimoschnig; Sean B. Leen; Conchúr Ó Brádaigh. 2017. "Rotational moulding of PEEK polymer liners with carbon fibre/PEEK over tape-placement for space cryogenic fuel tanks." Materials & Design 132, no. : 567-581.