High Temperature Polymer Composites Using Out-of-autoclave Processing
Author | : Sudharshan Anandan |
Publisher | : |
Total Pages | : 125 |
Release | : 2018 |
Genre | : |
ISBN | : |
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"High performance polymer composites possess high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and have design flexibility. Carbon/epoxy composites are commonly used aerospace materials. Bismaleimide based composites are used as a replacement for epoxy systems at higher service temperatures. Aerospace composites are usually manufactured, under high pressure, in an autoclave which requires high capital investments and operating costs. In contrast, out-of-autoclave manufacturing, specifically vacuum-bag-only prepreg process, is capable of producing low cost and high performance composites. In the current study, out-of-autoclave processing of high temperature carbon/bismaleimide composites was evaluated. The cure and process parameters were optimized. The properties of out-of-autoclave cured laminates compared well to autoclave manufactured composites. Numerical models were developed which simulate the curing process in composite laminates and used to optimize cycles and change processing parameters to obtain high-quality parts. The results were extended to enable manufacturing of high temperature composite sandwich structures. Sandwich structures were manufactured and thermo-mechanical properties were evaluated. Numerical models were built to simulate the effect of elevated temperatures on composite sandwich structures and validated using experiments. The results show that it is feasible to manufacture lab-scale high quality composites using the out-of-autoclave process. Also, numerical models are powerful tools which can be used to optimize cure cycles and simulate thermo-mechanical behavior of these composite parts"--Abstract, page iv.