Astm D 3531 – 99 pdf free download

Standard Test Method for
Resin Flow of Carbon Fiber-Epoxy Prepreg1

This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 3531; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of the last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

1. Scope

1.1 This test method covers the determination of the amount
of resin flow that will take place from prepreg tape or sheet
under given conditions of temperature and pressure.

1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
standard. The values in parentheses are for reference only.

1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

2. Summary of Test Method

2.1 A weighed specimen consisting of two plies a minimum
size of 50-mm (2.0-in.) square 0–1.57 rad (0 to 90°) cross plied
tape is sandwiched between bleeder material and release film.
The sandwich is placed in a platen press heated to either
temperature A, 120°C (250°F), or temperature B, 175°C
(350°F) or any other temperature specified. The press is closed
to provide a pressure of 700 kPa (100 psi). The pressure is held
for 15 min or until the resin gels. The cooled sandwich
assembly is removed and the resin that has flowed to the edges
of the specimen is removed and the specimen is reweighed. The
change in weight is expressed as a per cent of the original
weight and reported as per cent flow.

3. Significance and Use

3.1 This test method is used to obtain the resin flow of
carbon fibre-epoxy prepreg tape or sheet material. It is suitable
for comparing lots of materials of supposedly the same characteristics and also for comparative evaluation of materials
produced by different vendors using different resin-fibre combinations.

3.2 Composite parts are laminated from prepreg material at
various pressures and temperatures. Production process design
will require a flow test to be run at a temperature and pressure
close to that of the actual moulding conditions. All methods of
measuring resin flow are dependent on the size and geometry
of the specimen. This test method uses the smallest quantity of