Influence of calcium carbonate on RTM and RTM light processing and properties of molded composites

In the RTM light composite manufacturing process, inorganic fillers are commonly added to the resin to reduce cost and alter the final composite properties, especially rigidity, even though they also adversely affect processability. The aim of this study is to evaluate resin characteristics, reinforcement permeability, and mechanical properties of the composite and analyze the detrimental effects when a variable amount of calcium carbonate (CaCO(3)) is added to the resin. The addition of calcium carbonate increased the viscosity and gel time of the resin and considerably decreased the permeability of the reinforcement and therefore the expected process productivity. Besides, Barcol hardness, short-beam strength, and elastic modulus increased for higher CaCO(3) content, whereas Izod impact, flexural, and tensile strengths decreased. Besides, the coarser CaCO(3) filler particles managed to penetrate only partially into the fiber-rich layer of the combination mat used, which comprised of a PP flow media core and glass fibers at the surface.