Hi,
This is a really cool forum! I've been reading with interest, and wondered if anyone has any thoughts on my issue..
I've been trying to improve the surface finish of my laminate. The laminate is 2 plys of 200gsm plain weave, backed up with 5 plys of 200gsm UD(Unifibre) (All Carbon). I'm using a EL2 resin with a slow hardener, wetlaid with vacuum consolidation.
I am finding voids on the surface, and in one case some of the resin stuck to the tool(small bit between the weave if that makes sense) Part of the top layer of plain weave was also poorly consolidated, to the point I could pull it apart. Another laminate I made seems near perfect, and another is better but still very voidy., but all of them were laid up indentically (temp ~17/18deg, placed on vacuum around same time, left in tool for same time, achieved same vac)
Painting a layer on first helped to a degree, but I find the Resin beads off the released surface.
I thought it could be the release somehow worked its way off and into the laminate? I put it on as directed I believe
On top I had peel ply, perforated release and then breather. I found a puddle of cured resin, so I used two layers of perforated release to limit this.