The test methods defined in the ASTM D2734-16 standard published by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) are intended to determine the void content of reinforced plastics or composites. These test methods are applied to composites where the effects of ignition on materials are known. Most plastics, glass and reinforcements fall into this class. These test methods are not applied to composites for which the effects of ignition on plastics, reinforcement and any filler are unknown. This class includes non-combustible silicone resins, additives made of metals, organic or inorganic materials that can gain or lose weight, and oxides, carbonates and similar fillers that can gain or lose weight. Separate weight loss tests of individual materials are not required, but generally give the same result when combining all materials. There is no known ISO standard equivalent to these test methods.
Gaps, a type of manufacturing defect, are most commonly encountered in the processing of fiber-reinforced composites. Such voids have significant effects on the physical and thermomechanical properties of composites, and research focuses mainly on void formation, properties, and mechanical effects.
The research of voids in composites has been going on for fifty years and research is still going on in the world of composites. This is further complicated by the unknowns and uncertainties about voids, as well as the difficulties encountered in modern manufacturing techniques such as non-autoclave curing and high complexity parts, and the increasing viscosity of modified resins.
Advanced laboratories examine the investigation and control of void formation using liquid composite molding as well as experimental and modeling approaches and describe techniques for void characterization. The tests performed evaluate the effect of voids on a wide range of mechanical properties, including interlayer shear, tensile, compressive and flexural strength, as well as fracture toughness and fatigue life.
Today, fiber-reinforced composites are preferred in lightweight structural applications due to their superior mechanical properties and light weight.
Among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies it provides for businesses in various sectors, our organization also provides standard testing services for the void content of reinforced plastics, within the scope of ASTM D2734-16 standard, with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment.
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