M Sharifpur - Senior Lecturer, Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria ۰۰۰۲, South Africa
S.A Adio - PhD student, Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria ۰۰۰۲, South Africa
J.P Meyer - Professor, Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria ۰۰۰۲, South Africa

Composite materials are manufactured using various methods. One of such method is the vacuum infusion process where the resin is drawn through the layup by means of a vacuum. Recently application of nanostructures (such as SiO2, carbon nanotube etc.) in the resin to make composite resin is on the increase. Functionalization of the nanostructures causes a reaction which may hinder good dispersion process. In this study the optimization of the two-step method of preparation of nanofluid composite has been offered as an alternative to the functionalization which often uses non-green heavy chemical for nanofluid composite preparation. This will effect on the rheology of the resin.

vacuum infusion, nanofluids composites, porous medium, viscosity