Talk Composites - The Forum for Advanced Composites

Dual gloss finish carbon panel?

http://www.talkcomposites.com/Topic21788.aspx

By mcifuentes - 8/11/2016 4:48:13 AM

Hey guys, so im looking into making a carbon panel with a gloss finish on both sides. I have done a resin infusion and got a perfect surface on the mold side but the peel-ply leaves something to be desired in terms of a gloss surface. So has anyone had any experience with this kinda thing?

Here is how i think it should be done, so maybe one of you could point me in the right direction. So the carbon fiber would be wetted out before being layed onto the mold surface, a pane of glass. It would then be layed onto the mold surface, then a prepreg non-perf release film on top followed by a breather and finally vacuum bagged and cured. I assume some post processing such as sanding and polishing would be needed but would this get me the surface finish i desire?

Thanks,
Mark
By Dravis - 8/11/2016 7:16:24 AM

I've had some luck just doing a normal infusion on a pane of hardened glass, then after removing the peel ply, just brushing on a thick layer of XCR coating resin on top. It can then be polished to a point where it is difficult to tell the difference between the two sides. This way you have a strong, low resin ratio, void free laminate, that looks great.

It also has the advantage of creating an UV-stable side to the flat panel.  When cut to the desired shape (Motorbike instrument bracket, e.t.c. ) i sanded the "glass side" as well, and put on a thin coat of XCR on, and on the edges as well, then polished the part .. Looks very nice, and is UV stable.

(one thing that annoys me a lot is seeing all the dull, UV-faded aftermarket pieces of carbon sitting on a lot of bikes and cars ..Crazy )