Thermoset composites reinforced by innovative 3D spacer weft-knitted fabrics with different cross-section profiles: Materials and manufacturing process

Integrated 3D spacer weft-knitted fabrics with innovative structures due to their unique features and design flexibility, is expected to have high functionality as composite reinforcements. This paper is focused on preparing geometrically profiled composites panels reinforced with such novelty known textile structures made of E-glass fibers. 3D spacer knitted fabrics with four different cross-sections were infused by epoxy resin through the vacuum infusion molding process. Adjustments of variable parameters during the both knitting and composite manufacturing process, were being precisely concerned in order to provide highly-qualified and mechanically-improved composite panels. Good appearance together with acceptable mechanical performance of the samples revealed that these newly-designed thermoset composites have high potential to be replaced by the conventional products. This result was also confirmed via bending and compression tests applied to the samples. It was concluded that the produced panels have higher compression resistance than the conventional woven and warp-knitted spacer composites.