Innovative Production of Composites with Through Plane Alignment of Fi-bers

短纤维复合材料(SFC)依靠增强纤维相的特殊性能来提高基体的性能。根据所需的产品应用，纤维必须以特定的方向排列，可以是平面内的，也可以是直通平面的，等等。出于成本和大规模生产的考虑，通常不采用直通平面的纤维取向。这项建议旨在开发具有穿透平面取向(TPA)纤维的复合材料，因为它们可以显著改善用于许多现有应用的SFCs的性能。此外，如果能够适当地控制光纤的穿透平面排列，则可以设想许多新的和创新的应用。控制平面内对齐的最常见方法是应用剪切流场，该流场可以在挤出或注塑成型过程中固有地产生。垂直于平面(穿过平面)对齐纤维更加困难，因为在控制剪切流场方面存在挑战。许多技术都是基于对液体悬浮液中的颗粒施加电磁力，然后使其凝固。机械法不适合大规模生产。可能的应用包括导电和导热涂层、耐磨表面、渗透膜、散热片和创新传感器等。

Short-fiber composites (SFC) rely on the exceptional properties of the reinforcing fiber phase to enhance the properties of the matrix. Depending on the product application required, the fibers must be arranged in a particular orientation, either in-plane, through-plane, etc. Due to cost and mass-production concerns, through-plane fiber orientation is usually not pursued. This proposal seeks to develop composites with through-plane aligned (TPA) fibers, as they can significantly improve properties of SFCs for use in a number of existing applications. Moreover, many new and innovative applications can be envisaged if through-plane alignment of fibers can be properly controlled. The most common way of controlling the in-plane alignments is by applying a shear flow field, which can be inherently generated in extrusion or injection molding processes. Aligning fibers perpendicular to the plane (through-plane) is more difficult because of the challenges in controlling the shear flow field. Many techniques are based on utilizing electromagnetic forces on particles in fluid suspensions and then solidification. Mechanical methods are not suitable for large scale production. Possible applications include electrically and thermally conductive coatings, wear resistant surfaces, permeable membranes, heat sinks, and innovative sensors etc.