SBIR Phase II: Validation of Remotely Powered and Interrogated Microwire Temperature Sensors for Composites Cure Monitoring and Control

这一小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段研究项目解决了复合材料制造和维修行业中尚未满足的需求。目前用于固化碳纤维增强塑料(CFRP)复合材料的制造和修复方法不使用来自零件或修复粘合线的关键内部的实时温度反馈，因为没有实用的传感器可以永久地嵌入以向远程读取器报告。该第二阶段项目将导致三种互补产品的商业化，旨在提供这一能力，以改进固化过程。产品1是一款价格低廉的微线温度传感器，使用方便，不会对结构完整性造成负面影响。产品2是高压锅/烤箱控制系统：位于热室内部的模块化天线和外部带有控制软件的读取器，通过来自嵌入式传感器的实时温度反馈来控制固化过程。Product3是适用于所有现有便携式复合材料维修系统的温度感应附件。该附件允许现有的维修系统无需修改即可从嵌入式产品1传感器监控温度。这些互补产品将通过缩短固化时间、减少劳动力和减少因不受控制的放热而报废的部件数量，极大地改进传统的固化工艺。商用飞机行业迅速扩大对CFRP复合材料的使用，推动了市场对工艺改进的需求，以提高效率、产量和部件质量。如果成功，该项目的成果将满足控制系统制造公司、终端用户公司和商用飞机制造商的需求。微丝传感器的低成本，以及用于初始固化和修复的传统固化工艺速度的预期改进，可能会加速CFRP复合材料在汽车行业的使用。这应该会导致全球燃料/能源使用量的减少。此外，这些微丝温度传感器的极低热质量使它们具有如此快速的热响应，从而可以开发使用实时反馈的非传统和更快的复合材料固化系统和工艺，例如用于初始固化的微波炉和用于修复固化的感应加热设备，从而进一步加快复合材料的整体工业应用。最后，微丝温度传感技术有望远程测量电动和混合动力汽车用锂离子电池的内部温度。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II research project addresses an unfilled need in the composites manufacturing and repair industry. Current manufacturing and repair methods for curing Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) composite materials do not employ real time temperature feedback from the critical interior of parts or repair bond lines because no practical sensors can be permenantly embedded to report to a remote reader. This Phase II Project will lead to the commercialization of three complementary products designed to provide this capability so as to improve curing processes. Product 1 is an inexpensive microwire temperature sensor that is easy to use and does not negatively affect structural integrity. Product 2 is an autoclave/oven control system: modular antennas that reside inside the hot chamber and a reader with control software outside that combine to control the curing process via real-time temperature feedback from embedded sensors. Product 3 is a temperature-sensing accessory for all existing portable composite repair systems. This accessory allows existing repair systems, without modification, to monitor temperature from embedded Product 1 sensors. These complementary products will vastly improve legacy curing processes by cutting curing times, reducing labor, and reducing the number of rejected parts due to uncontrolled exotherm.The commercial aircraft industry's rapidly expanding use of CFRP composites is driving the marketplace demand for process enhancements that increase efficiency, yield and part quality. If successful the outcome of this project will address the needs of control system manufacturing companies, end-user companies and commercial aircraft manufacturers. The low cost of the microwire sensors and the anticipated improvements to the speed of legacy curing processes both for initial cure and repair may accelerate the use of CFRP composites within the automobile industry. This should result in reduced fuel/energy usage worldwide. Furthermore, the extremely low thermal mass of these microwire temperature sensors gives them such fast thermal response that they may allow for the development of unconventional and faster composite curing systems and processes that employ real time feedback, such as microwave ovens for initial cure and induction heating devices for repair cure, further speeding overall industry use of composites. Finally, microwire temperature sensing technology holds promise for remote measurement of internal temperatures of lithium ion batteries for electric and hybrid cars.