Carbon fibre sheet moulding compounds with high in-mould flow: Linking morphology to tensile and compressive properties

In-mould flow during manufacturing of Sheet Moulding Compounds (SMCs) heavily affects the material microstructure and its mechanical properties. This influence is studied here for carbon SMCs on panels compression moulded with limited charge coverage. The high in-mould flow caused severe in-plane tow distortions, while their planarity was preserved. Flow induced fibre orientation plays a paramount role in the material failure, whereas local...