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Microwave Heating for Manufacturing Carbon-Fiber Thermoplastics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2011

A.C. Lind ,
L.N. Medgyesi-Mitschang ,
J.E. Kurz ,
H.F. Mckinney  and
F.C. Wear
A.C. Lind
Affiliation:
McDonnell Douglas Research Laboratories, P.O. Box 516, St. Louis, MO 63166
L.N. Medgyesi-Mitschang
Affiliation:
McDonnell Douglas Research Laboratories, P.O. Box 516, St. Louis, MO 63166
J.E. Kurz
Affiliation:
McDonnell Aircraft Company, P.O. Box 516, St. Louis, MO 63166
H.F. Mckinney
Affiliation:
McDonnell Aircraft Company, P.O. Box 516, St. Louis, MO 63166
F.C. Wear
Affiliation:
McDonnell Aircraft Company, P.O. Box 516, St. Louis, MO 63166
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Abstract

Traditionally, polymeric composite parts are heated and consolidated in an autoclave. For large parts, such as transport aircraft fuselages or submarine hulls, size becomes a limiting factor. To overcome this limitation and to reduce labor costs we are developing an automated tape placement process. In this process we build composite parts one layer at a time with tape containing carbon fibers impregnated with a thermoplastic. As the tape comes into contact with the part, we apply heat to melt the thermoplastic and apply pressure to consolidate the tape to the part. To support this effort we have developed a proprietary microwave applicator that is suitable for rapidly heating carbon-fiber composites in an automated tape placement process. Small carbon-fiber/poly(aryl-ether-ether-ketone) parts made using the microwave applicator have interlaminar shear strengths of 100 MPa (14.5 ksi), which is almost equal to the 103 MPa (15.0 ksi) obtained using an autoclave.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 189: Symposium L – Microwave Processing of Materials II , 1990 , 461
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1991

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References

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