SBIR Phase I: PMC Manufacturing Process

小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将展示使用新的碳/环氧树脂预浸料配方和胶带放置工艺来生产符合大型飞机结构复合材料规格的聚合物基复合材料（PMC）。 传统的碳/环氧树脂预浸料和胶带放置工艺可能产生具有气泡和空隙缺陷的复合材料。 两个创新的技术集成来实现这一建议。碳/环氧树脂预浸带通过将红外线吸收剂分散到环氧树脂中并将该树脂涂覆到碳纤维上而制成。 红外辐射装置用于在铺叠期间均匀地照射预浸料带，从而最大限度地减少最终复合材料中的气泡和空隙。 拟议的工作将确定预浸料配方和辐射处理条件，以形成无缺陷的复合材料，评估复合材料性能，并确定第二阶段计划中预浸料放大的要求。在拟议的研究成功演示后，参与的预浸料供应商和飞机零件制造商正在寻求在第二阶段快速扩大规模，并将预浸料和自动胶带放置过程商业化。目前，行业迫切需要一种无缺陷的PMC制造工艺，以取代目前不太一致的工艺。 无缺陷PMC工艺的可用性将推动复合材料用途的扩大和飞机制造领域的增长，以及随后美国整体经济的增长。 新的PMC工艺广泛适用于军用和商用飞机、地面运输车辆、船舶和工业设备制造。 拟议的研究包括对一名本科生的支持和培训。

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will demonstrate the use of a new carbon/epoxy prepeg formulation and tape placement process to produce a polymer matrix composite (PMC) that meets large aircraft structural compsoite specifications. Conventional carbon/epoxy prepeg and tape placement processing may produce composites with bubble and void defects. Two innovative technologies are integrated to accomplish this proposal. A carbon/epoxy prepeg tape is made by dispersing an infrared absorber into an epoxy resin and coating the resin onto carbon fiber. An infrared radiation unit is used to uniformly irradiate the prepeg tape during layup, minimizing bubbles and voids in the final composite. The proposed work will define the prepeg formulation and radiation processing conditions to form a dfect free composite, evaluate the composite properties and define the requirements for prepeg manufactuing scaleup in a Phase II program. Upon successful demomnstration of the proposed research, the participating prepeg supplier and aircraft parts manufacturer are seeking a rapid scaleup in Phase II and commercialization of the prepeg and automated tape placement process. There is an immediate industry demand for a defect free PMC manufacturing process to replacing the current, less consistent process. Availability of a defect free PMC process will drive expansion of composite use and growth in the aircraft-manufacturing segment and subsequent growth of the total US economy. The new PMC process is broadly applicable in military and commercial aircraft, ground transportation vehicles, marine boats and industrial equipment manufacturing. The proposed research includes support and training for an undergraduate student.