Continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic acrylic-matrix composites prepared by liquid resin infusion – a review

Increasing demand for lightweight materials is a major driving force for the steady growth of the continuous fibre-reinforced polymer composite industry. In recent years, strict global targets demanding greater environmental responsibility have led to a shift in research focus to address the end-of-life challenges posed by the use of thermoset matrices. Thermosets offer low-cost processibility than thermoplastics, which historically required cost- and energy-intensive production methodologies. Consequently, despite their well-demonstrated recyclability, thermoformability and weldability, thermoplastics are yet to attain the same technological maturity as thermosets. In-situ polymerisable thermoplastic resins have been identified as attractive emerging solutions for improving the processibility of thermoplastics; and thus, meeting the demand for fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites. This review presents a comprehensive summary of recent works on room-temperature-processible liquid thermoplastic acrylic resins and their composites. Moreover, open problems and research opportunities are identified and discussed.