Impact fracture study of epoxy-based composites with aluminium particles and milled fibres

Epoxy-based composites moulds are frequently used for wax and polymer materials injection. Tri-phase materials, composed by an epoxy resin, aluminium particles and milled fibres, were produced, with mechanical and thermal performances better than the single materials, increasing the competitiveness of the epoxy rapid tooling processes. Charpy impact tests were employed to obtain a qualitative indication of the composites toughness. The electronic instrumentation of these tests allows a more accurate differentiation of the impact behaviour of the neat resins, the aluminium filled resins and the tri-phase composites (composed by epoxy, aluminium particles and milled glass or carbon fibres), and to consequently tailor the composites mechanical properties for rapid tooling applications. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.