Reactive extrusion of frontally polymerizing continuous carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites

Nadim S. Hmeidat; Michael Zakoworotny; Yun Seong Kim; Thien B. Le; Gavin DeBrun; Rohan Shah; Jacob J. Lessard; Jeffery S. Moore; Jeffery W. Baur; Philippe H. Geubelle; Nancy R. Sottos; Sameh H. Tawfick

doi:10.1016/j.compositesa.2024.108609

Reactive extrusion of frontally polymerizing continuous carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites

Nadim S. Hmeidat, Michael Zakoworotny, Yun Seong Kim, Thien B. Le, Gavin DeBrun, Rohan Shah, Jacob J. Lessard, Jeffery S. Moore, Jeffery W. Baur, Philippe H. Geubelle, Nancy R. Sottos, Sameh H. Tawfick

Composites Innovation

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The manufacturing of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites demands rapid and energy-efficient strategies. Frontal polymerization (FP) enables the manufacturing of CFRP using dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) thermoset polymer which meets these requirements. In this work, we introduce reactive extrusion of CFRP (RE-CFRP), where two rollers provide localized heat and pressure to sustain the curing reaction and the consolidation of a continuous carbon fiber tow pre-impregnated with DCPD. We study the effect of the extrusion speed, temperature, and compaction force on the properties of the produced CFRP. Mechanical testing confirms that the resulting fiber volume fraction and the elastic modulus are similar to bulk cured tows. A homogenized thermo-chemical model is developed to study the effect of the process parameters on the polymerization reaction. The process produces hollow woven composite tubes directly via extrusion and in situ curing. Overall, this process offers advantages in curing, tooling, speed, and energy.

Original language	English
Article number	108609
Journal	Composites - Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing
Volume	190
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2024.108609
State	Published - Mar 2025

Funding

The authors acknowledge support from DARPA as part of the NOM4D program through Award HR0011154764 . The authors thank the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology as well as the Advanced Materials Testing and Evaluation Laboratory (AMTEL) for their facilities and equipment. Authors thank Prof. M. Lembeck and Q. Lim for valuable discussions, and Samuel Tsai and Javier Balta for their assistance with the temperature control setup. N.S.H would like to acknowledge support by the US Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy , Advanced Manufacturing Office, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with UT-Battelle, LLC. The authors acknowledge support from DARPA, United States as part of the NOM4D program through Award HR001122C0057. The authors thank the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology as well as the Advanced Materials Testing and Evaluation Laboratory (AMTEL) for their facilities and equipment. Authors thank Prof. M. Lembeck and Q. Lim for valuable discussions, and Samuel Tsai and Javier Balta for their assistance with the temperature control setup. N.S.H would like to acknowledge support by the US Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Advanced Manufacturing Office, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with UT-Battelle, LLC.

Funders	Funder number
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
U.S. Department of Energy
Advanced Materials Testing and Evaluation Laboratory
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency	HR001122C0057, HR0011154764
Advanced Manufacturing Office	DE-AC05-00OR22725

Keywords

Additive manufacturing
Continuous fiber composites
Dicyclopentadiene
Frontal polymerization
Homogenized thermo-chemical model
Reactive extrusion
Thermoset

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.compositesa.2024.108609

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Hmeidat, N. S., Zakoworotny, M., Kim, Y. S., Le, T. B., DeBrun, G., Shah, R., Lessard, J. J., Moore, J. S., Baur, J. W., Geubelle, P. H., Sottos, N. R., & Tawfick, S. H. (2025). Reactive extrusion of frontally polymerizing continuous carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites. Composites - Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 190, Article 108609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2024.108609

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abstract = "The manufacturing of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites demands rapid and energy-efficient strategies. Frontal polymerization (FP) enables the manufacturing of CFRP using dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) thermoset polymer which meets these requirements. In this work, we introduce reactive extrusion of CFRP (RE-CFRP), where two rollers provide localized heat and pressure to sustain the curing reaction and the consolidation of a continuous carbon fiber tow pre-impregnated with DCPD. We study the effect of the extrusion speed, temperature, and compaction force on the properties of the produced CFRP. Mechanical testing confirms that the resulting fiber volume fraction and the elastic modulus are similar to bulk cured tows. A homogenized thermo-chemical model is developed to study the effect of the process parameters on the polymerization reaction. The process produces hollow woven composite tubes directly via extrusion and in situ curing. Overall, this process offers advantages in curing, tooling, speed, and energy.",

keywords = "Additive manufacturing, Continuous fiber composites, Dicyclopentadiene, Frontal polymerization, Homogenized thermo-chemical model, Reactive extrusion, Thermoset",

author = "Hmeidat, {Nadim S.} and Michael Zakoworotny and Kim, {Yun Seong} and Le, {Thien B.} and Gavin DeBrun and Rohan Shah and Lessard, {Jacob J.} and Moore, {Jeffery S.} and Baur, {Jeffery W.} and Geubelle, {Philippe H.} and Sottos, {Nancy R.} and Tawfick, {Sameh H.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The Authors",

year = "2025",

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doi = "10.1016/j.compositesa.2024.108609",

language = "English",

volume = "190",

journal = "Composites - Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing",

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Hmeidat, NS, Zakoworotny, M, Kim, YS, Le, TB, DeBrun, G, Shah, R, Lessard, JJ, Moore, JS, Baur, JW, Geubelle, PH, Sottos, NR & Tawfick, SH 2025, 'Reactive extrusion of frontally polymerizing continuous carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites', Composites - Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, vol. 190, 108609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2024.108609

TY - JOUR

T1 - Reactive extrusion of frontally polymerizing continuous carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites

AU - Hmeidat, Nadim S.

AU - Zakoworotny, Michael

AU - Kim, Yun Seong

AU - Le, Thien B.

AU - DeBrun, Gavin

AU - Shah, Rohan

AU - Lessard, Jacob J.

AU - Moore, Jeffery S.

AU - Baur, Jeffery W.

AU - Geubelle, Philippe H.

AU - Sottos, Nancy R.

AU - Tawfick, Sameh H.

PY - 2025/3

Y1 - 2025/3

N2 - The manufacturing of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites demands rapid and energy-efficient strategies. Frontal polymerization (FP) enables the manufacturing of CFRP using dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) thermoset polymer which meets these requirements. In this work, we introduce reactive extrusion of CFRP (RE-CFRP), where two rollers provide localized heat and pressure to sustain the curing reaction and the consolidation of a continuous carbon fiber tow pre-impregnated with DCPD. We study the effect of the extrusion speed, temperature, and compaction force on the properties of the produced CFRP. Mechanical testing confirms that the resulting fiber volume fraction and the elastic modulus are similar to bulk cured tows. A homogenized thermo-chemical model is developed to study the effect of the process parameters on the polymerization reaction. The process produces hollow woven composite tubes directly via extrusion and in situ curing. Overall, this process offers advantages in curing, tooling, speed, and energy.

AB - The manufacturing of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites demands rapid and energy-efficient strategies. Frontal polymerization (FP) enables the manufacturing of CFRP using dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) thermoset polymer which meets these requirements. In this work, we introduce reactive extrusion of CFRP (RE-CFRP), where two rollers provide localized heat and pressure to sustain the curing reaction and the consolidation of a continuous carbon fiber tow pre-impregnated with DCPD. We study the effect of the extrusion speed, temperature, and compaction force on the properties of the produced CFRP. Mechanical testing confirms that the resulting fiber volume fraction and the elastic modulus are similar to bulk cured tows. A homogenized thermo-chemical model is developed to study the effect of the process parameters on the polymerization reaction. The process produces hollow woven composite tubes directly via extrusion and in situ curing. Overall, this process offers advantages in curing, tooling, speed, and energy.

KW - Additive manufacturing

KW - Continuous fiber composites

KW - Dicyclopentadiene

KW - Frontal polymerization

KW - Homogenized thermo-chemical model

KW - Reactive extrusion

KW - Thermoset

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SN - 1359-835X

VL - 190

JO - Composites - Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing

JF - Composites - Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing

M1 - 108609

ER -

Reactive extrusion of frontally polymerizing continuous carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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