Numerical Investigation of the Orientability of Single Reinforcement Fibers in Polymer Matrices

Fiber-reinforced polymers are increasingly being used, especially in lightweight structures. Here, the effective adaptation of mechanical or physical properties to the necessary application or manufacturing requirements plays an important role. In this context, the alignment of reinforcing fibers is often hindered by manufacturing aspects. To achieve graded or locally adjusted alignment of different fiber lengths, common manufacturing technologies such as injection molding or compression molding need to be supported by the external non-mechanical process. Magnetic or electrostatic fields seem to be particularly suitable for this purpose. The present work shows a first simulation study of the alignment of magnetic particles in polymer matrices as a function of different parameters. The parameters studied are the viscosity of the surrounding polymer as a function of the focused processing methods, the fiber length, the thickness and permeability of the magnetic fiber coatings, and the magnetic flux density. The novelty of the presented works is in the development of an advanced simulation model that allows the simulative representation and reveal of the fluid–structure interaction, the influences of these parameters on the inducible magnetic torque and fiber alignment of a single fiber. Accordingly, the greatest influence on fiber alignment is caused by the magnetic flux density and the coating material.