Analysis on the ultraviolet curing process of resin‐based glass fiber composites based on finite element mesoscale model

Abstract The resin curing process triggered by ultraviolet radiation possesses numerous advantages, including rapid speed, low cost, and minimal environmental impact. Due to the hindrance of light propagation by the medium, uneven curing or incomplete curing at the bottom may occur frequently, particularly when the material thickness is excessive. To address these issues and delve into the regularities of the light‐curing process, this study employed a modeling approach that separately represents fiber bundles and the resin matrix to construct a mesoscopic model of the resin‐based glass fiber‐reinforced composite material glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP). Based on the models of light propagation, light‐curing kinetics, and heat conduction, a multiphysics field decoupling model is established to simulate the light‐curing process of GFRP. Using this model, the temporal and spatial variations of the internal light field, degree of curing field, and temperature field within GFRP during the curing process are simulated. The mechanistic reasons for these variations are analyzed. Finally, in conjunction with the regular analysis based on the macroscopic model, the accuracy of the model and the obtained regularities are validated through experiments. This provides an effective analytical method for the study of light‐curing in resin‐based fiber‐reinforced composite materials.