SBIR Phase I: Lightweight Composites for Aerospace Applications

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将测试通过将独特的高模聚丙烯纤维加入混杂复合材料中含有碳纤维的织物中，制造适用于航空航天环境的轻质高模聚合物复合材料的可行性。今天的航空航天应用对复合材料的要求很高，包括1)耐溶剂性，2)热循环耐久性，3)耐紫外线照射的能力，以及轻质、优异的弹性和强度。虽然已知耐溶剂性和抗紫外线曝光性对丙纶有好处，但热循环耐久性预计将构成重大的技术障碍，必须克服这些障碍，才能利用这两种性能纤维的混合所可能的物理性能。在这项SBIR下进行的研究将解决这个问题，除了满足航空航天行业的其他需求外，还将制造一种可与碳编织的树脂兼容的高模丙纶纱线，形成重量轻、高模、抗冲击性能良好的混杂结构。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will test the feasibility of making light weight and high modulus polymer composite materials, suitable for the aerospace environment through incorporating unique high modulus polypropylene fiber into fabrics containing carbon fiber in hybrid composites. The demands on composites used in today's aerospace applications are significant, and include 1) solvent resistance, 2) thermal cycling durability, 3) the ability to survive ultraviolet exposure, in addition to light weight, superior modulus and strength. While solvent resistance and UV exposure resistance are known to be good for polypropylene fibers, the thermal cycling durability is expected to pose significant technical hurdles which will have to be overcome in order to take advantage of the physical properties that are possible by making hybrids of these two performance fibers. The research performed under this SBIR will address this issue by making a resin-compatible high-modulus polypropylene yarn that can be woven with carbon into hybrid structures with low weight, high modulus, good impact resistance, in addition to meeting the other demands of the aerospace industry.