Processing and characterisation of carbon/epoxy composites via RTM: Evaluation of mechanical properties between aluminium alloy and composites for applications in the aeronautical industry

The aeronautical industry continues to invest heavily in the development of new materials, seeking properties such as low density and low cost, while maintaining mechanical properties that meet the requirements of this market segment. In this scenario, high-performance composite materials present themselves as an attractive alternative, and there is growing interest in using the resin transfer moulding (RTM) process to produce these materials. This process offers important advantages, such as the production of components with different and complex shapes, with high repeatability and excellent finish. The objective of this work was to conduct a comparative study between the mechanical properties of an aluminium alloy for aeronautical applications and three carbon fibre/epoxy resin composites processed by RTM. The composites were subjected to thermal analysis, ultrasound inspection and acid digestion. Bending and tensile tests were also performed to determine their mechanical properties. The composites presented adequate properties compatible with the aluminium alloy used as a comparison parameter in this study.