SBIR Phase I: PMC Manufacturing Process

小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将演示使用新的碳/环氧预聚物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/环氧预钉和胶带放置工艺可能会产生具有气泡和空隙缺陷的复合材料。两种创新技术被整合在一起来完成这个提议。碳/环氧预粘带是通过将红外吸收剂分散到环氧树脂中并将树脂涂在碳纤维上制成的。红外辐射单元用于在铺层过程中均匀照射预粘胶带，最大限度地减少最终复合材料中的气泡和空隙。拟议的工作将定义预聚物的配方和辐射加工条件，以形成无影响的复合材料，评估复合材料的性能，并确定预聚物生产规模在第二阶段计划中的要求。在成功演示了拟议的研究后，参与的预钉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，并将预钉和自动胶带放置过程商业化。业界迫切需要一种无缺陷的PMC制造工艺来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使用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.