Photo Gallery

Fume hood containing equipment used to make the resin

Cardolite NC-514 Epoxy resin - derived from cashew nut shell oil

Preparation of the hot oil bath

Temperature set to 90 degrees Celsius

From left to right: Hydroquinone inhibitor, Methacrylic acid,
Cardolite NC-514 Epoxy Resin, AMC-2 catalyst 

All components are added

Mixing the components

Adding the reaction vessel to the hot oil bath

The reaction starts to take place

FTIR testing

FTIR results prior to chemical reaction

Resin is submerged in hot oil bath to reduce viscosity

Methacrylated Resin

AR 2000 viscometer machine to measure viscosity of resin

Roll of fiber that will be used to reinforce the composite

Fiber sheet being cut into twelve 10in x 10in squares

Fibers being stacked and placed on glass to create the new composite

The dry lubricant that is sprayed on the glass to keep the composite from sticking

Tacky tape was used to hold everything together

The air pump used to pull the resin through the fibers

The filter that keeps any excess resin out of the air pump

Preparing to release the resin into the vacuum

The resin about to seep though the fibers

The start of the resin being slowly pulled though the fibers

The resin about half way though the fibers

The resin about three quarters of the way though the fibers

The band saw that was used to cut the composite

The final composite marked for cutting

Trimming the composite into an 8in x 8in board 

A piece of the 8in x 8in board

Cutting of the remaining composite into testing strips

Cutting of the remaining composite into testing

The second composite board being trimmed down to size

Second composite board being cut into two sections