What types of carbon fiber composite materials should be considered?

1. Polyester resin: It is the most widely used resin in the core foam industry. Polyester resin is cheaper, has certain corrosion resistance, and is more forgiving than epoxy resin. The majority of all fiberglass components are constructed using polyester resins because they are easy to use, cure quickly, and withstand temperature and catalyst limits. Easy to handle, fast wet through, high thixotropic index. Disadvantages: lower physical properties compared to more expensive resins.

2. Epoxy resin: For composite parts that require ultimate strength, core foam manufacturers will use epoxy resin. In addition to improving strength properties, epoxy resins are generally superior to polyesters and vinyl esters to achieve dimensional stability and increase bonding with other materials. Epoxy resin, high strength performance, can be used in vacuum infusion applications, easy to handle, medium viscosity. But it can not be used for chopped felt, it is not UV stable, and it must be paired with topcoat when exposed to UV.

3. Vinyl ester resin: It is considered to be a mixture of polyester and epoxy resin, which means that its processing characteristics, performance and price usually fall between the other two. Vinyl ester resin will provide the highest corrosion resistance, temperature resistance and elongation. Therefore, when core foams require high durability, thermal stability and corrosion resistance, they are usually used. Vinyl ester resin is very stable, corrosion-resistant and heat-resistant; but the shelf life is short, generally 3 months.