OUT-OF-OVEN CURING OF POLYMERIC COMPOSITES VIA RESISTIVE MICROHEATERS COMPRISED OF ALIGNED CARBON NANOTUBE NETWORKS

The broader adoption of composite materials in next-generation aerospace architectures is currently limited by the geometrical constraints and high energy costs of traditional manufacturing techniques of PMCs such as autoclave and vacuum-bag-only oven curing techniques. Here, an in situ curing technique for PMCs using a resistive heating film comprised of an aligned carbon nanotube (A-CNT) network is presented. A carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) prepreg system is effectively cured via a single-side CNT network heater incorporated on the outer surface of the laminate without using an autoclave. Evaluation of the curing efficacy shows that composites cured by A-CNT film heaters can achieve degrees of cure that are equivalent or better than composites cured by an autoclave. This manufacturing technique enables highly efficient curing of PMCs while adding multifunctionality to finished composites.
United States. Army Research Office (contract W911NF-07-D-0004)
United States. Army Research Office (contract W91NF-13-D-0001)
Kwanjeong Educational Foundation (Korea)
National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship
Conselho Nacional de Pesquisas (Brazil) (Science without Borders Program)
United States. Naval Sea Systems Command (contract N00024-12-P-4069 for SBIR topic N121-058)