An Enhanced Vacuum Cure Technique for On-Aircraft Repair of Carbon-Bismaleimide Composites
Source abstract
Abstract
Carbon/bismaleimide (BMI) composite is increasingly employed in critical load carrying aircraft structures designed to operate at temperatures approaching 180°C. The high post-cure temperature (above 220°C) required to fully react the BMI resin, however, renders existing on-aircraft prepreg or wet layup repair methods invalid. This paper presents a new on-aircraft repair technique for carbon/BMI composites. The composite prepregs are first warm-staged to improve the ability to evacuate entrapped air. Then the patch is cured in the scarf cavity using the vacuum bag technique, followed by off-aircraft post-cure. The fully cured patch then can be bonded using a structural adhesive.
Source: openaire · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Epoxy Resin Curing Processes · Mechanical Behavior of Composites · Fiber-reinforced polymer composites
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (17)
Show source-provided references
1. Cramer, B.C., Purcell, W.M.: Portable autoclave for field level repair. Int. SAMPE Tech. Conf. 28, 1201–1210 (1996)
2. Whittingham, B., Baker, A.A., Harman, A., Bitton, D.: Micrographic studies on adhesively bonded scarf repairs to thick composite aircraft structure. Compos. A 40(9), 1419–1432 (2009)10.1016/j.compositesa.2008.12.011 ↗
3. Campbell, F.C., Mallow, A.R., Browning, C.E.: Porosity in carbon fiber composites an overview of causes. J. Adv. Mater. 26(4), 18–33 (1995)
4. Thorfinnson, B., Biermann, T.F.: Degree of impregnation of prepregs-effects on porosity. Int. SAMPE Symp. Exhib. 32, 1500–1509 (1987)
5. Jackson, K., Crabtree, M.: Autoclave quality composites tooling for composite from vacuum bag only processing. Int. SAMPE Symp. Exhib. 47, 800–807 (2002)
6. Partington, N.: An out-of-autoclave composite solution. JEC Compos. Mag. 41(41), 64–66 (2008)
7. Sherwin, G.R.: Non-autoclave processing of advanced composite repairs. Int. J. Adhes. Adhes. 19, 155–159 (1999)10.1016/S0143-7496(98)00030-X ↗
8. Hou, T.H., Jensen, B.J.: Double-vacuum-bag technology for volatile management in composite fabrication. Polym. Compos. 29(8), 906–914 (2008)10.1002/pc.20475 ↗
9. Bowles, K.J., Frimpong, S.: Void effects on the interlaminar shear strength of unidirectional graphite-fiber-reinforced composites. J. Compos. Mater. 26(10), 1487–1509 (1992)10.1177/002199839202601006 ↗
10. Costa, M.L., de Almeida, S.F.M., Rezende, M.C.: The influence of porosity on the interlaminar shear strength of carbon/epoxy and carbon bismaleide fabric composites. Compos. Sci. Technol. 61, 2101–2108 (2001)10.1016/S0266-3538(01)00157-9 ↗
11. Mehrkam, P., Cochran, R.: Wet layup materials for repair of bismaleimide composites, 24th International SAMPE Tech. Conf., pp. 1006–1016, (1992)
12. ASTM D2344/D2344M-00.: Short-beam strength of polymer matrix composite materials and their laminates., Annual Book of Standards, D30.04, Composite Materials. ASTM, Philadelphia (2006)
13. ASTM D6484/D6484M-04.: Open-hole compressive strength of polymer matrix composite laminates. Annual Book of Standards, D30.05, Composite Materials. ASTM, Philadelphia (2004)
14. ASTM D6272-02.: Flexural Properties of Unreinforced and Reinforced Plastics and Electrical Insulating Materials by Four-Point Bending. Annual Book of Standards, D20.10, Plastics. ASTM, Philadelphia (2002)
15. ASTM D792-00.: Density and specific gravity (relative density) of plastics by displacement. Annual Book of Standards, D20.70, Plastics. ASTM, Philadelphia (2001)
16. ASTM D3171-06.: Constituent content of composite materials. Annual Book of Standards, D30.04, Composite Materials. ASTM, Philadelphia (2006)
17. Whitney, J.M., Browning, C.E.: On short-beam shear tests for composite materials. Exp. Mech. 25(3), 294–300 (1985)10.1007/BF02325100 ↗