Advanced Textile Techniques for Composite Material Manufacturing

今天，飞机结构使用复合材料制造，占其总重量的50%。复合材料的强度来自于沿宏观尺度载荷路径排列的超强微米或纳米纤维沿着。这些纤维被嵌入基质材料中，将它们固定在适当的位置，并确保负载转移。在为一家飞机制造商工作时，我观察到制造高性能复合材料结构的主要方法是使用机器人单向纤维铺放方法或薄织物的逐层手动或机器人沉积。这些方法是优选的，因为在随后的制造操作中纤维的移动是有限的。缺乏关于纤维运动的精确知识是阻碍使用新材料引入新制造方法的瓶颈。因此，有必要发展纤维增强材料的行为的基础知识，当它们受到复杂的制造操作和它们对最终产品的性能的影响。我在这里提出了一个为期5年的研究计划，将首先表征不同材料和纤维混合物（无机，聚合物，生物来源）的纤维纱线的机械行为。我们将开发特定的测试仪器，以模拟在纺织操作和先进制造技术中施加在纱线上的负载。我将使用这些观察结果，使用多链数字元素方法来模拟这种行为。该建模将使我们能够预测纺织品组装和制造过程中纱线和复杂织物结构的变形。我们将生产复合材料结构，并准确预测增强元素及其对机械性能的影响。该研究计划将加速新型复合材料和制造技术与航空航天、运输和生物医疗等高度监管的行业的整合。

Today, aircraft structures are built using composite materials that represent up to 50% of their total weight. Composite materials derive their strength from aligning ultra-strong micro- or nano-fibers along the macro-scale load paths. These fibres are embedded in a matrix material that holds them in position and insures load transfer. While working for an aircraft manufacturer, I observed that the main approaches for manufacturing high performance composite structures is the use of robotic unidirectional fibre placement methods or layer-by-layer manual or robotic deposition of thin fabrics. These methods are preferred because the movement of fibres in subsequent manufacturing operations is limited. The lack of precise knowledge about the movement of fibres is a bottleneck that prevents the introduction of new manufacturing methods using novel materials. Consequently, there is a need for developing fundamental knowledge of the behaviour of fibre reinforcements when they are subjected to complex manufacturing operations and their effect on the final product's properties. I propose here a 5-year research program that will first characterize the mechanical behaviour of fibre yarns of different materials and fibrous mixtures (inorganic, polymers, biosourced). We will develop specific testing apparatus to mimic the loads applied to yarns during textile operations and advanced manufacturing techniques. I will use these observations to model this behaviour using the multi-chain digital element approach. The modelling will allow us to predict the deformation of yarns and complex fabric structures during textile assembly and manufacturing. We will produce composite structures with accurate prediction of the reinforcing elements and their impact on mechanical properties. This research program will accelerate the integration of new composite materials and manufacturing techniques into highly regulated industries such as the aerospace, transport, and bio-medical.