Vibration assisted densification of a carbon fiber preform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10151026-B2
Application number	US-201615229982-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2016
Priority date	Aug 5, 2016
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

The disclosure describes in some examples a technique that includes the disclosure describes a technique that includes depositing a carbon powder and a resin powder on a surface of a fiber preform, where the fiber preform includes a plurality of fibers and defines interstitial spaces between the plurality of fibers, and vibrating the fiber preform to allow the carbon powder and the resin powder to infiltrate the interstitial spaces between the plurality of fibers of the fiber preform to form an infiltrated preform.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
depositing a carbon powder and a resin powder on a surface of a fiber preform, wherein the fiber preform comprises a plurality of fibers and defines interstitial spaces between the plurality of fibers;
wherein the plurality of fibers comprise carbon fibers or carbon precursor fibers; and
vibrating the fiber preform to allow the carbon powder and the resin powder to infiltrate the interstitial spaces between the plurality of fibers of the fiber preform to form an infiltrated preform.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
mixing the carbon powder and the resin powder to form a powder mixture prior to depositing the carbon powder and the resin powder on the surface of the fiber preform.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the powder mixture comprises at least about 10 weight percent (wt. %) of the carbon powder.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the powder mixture defines a mesh size greater than about 18.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon powder and the resin powder comprise at least about 5 wt. % of the infiltrated preform.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising heating the infiltrated preform to carbonize the resin powder to form a composite article.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
machining a surface of a carbon-carbon composite component to form a carbon milling waste; and
using the carbon milling waste to form at least some of the carbon powder.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein using the carbon milling waste to form at least some of the carbon powder comprises sieving the carbon milling waste.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
machining a resin material to form the resin powder that defines a mesh size greater than about 18; and
mixing the resin powder with the carbon powder to form a powder mixture.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
sieving the powder mixture prior to depositing the powder mixture on the surface of the fiber preform.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying an electrostatic charge to at least some of the carbon powder or the resin powder prior to depositing the carbon powder and the resin powder on the surface of the fiber preform, wherein the electrostatic charge is configured to cause the at least some of the carbon powder or the resin powder to be electrically attracted to the fiber preform.

12. A method comprising:
machining an exterior surface of a carbon-carbon composite to form a carbon powder;
mixing the carbon powder with a resin powder to form a powder mixture; and
infiltrating interstitial spaces between fibers of a fiber preform by:
depositing the powder mixture on a surface of the fiber preform; and
vibrating the fiber preform;

wherein the fibers of the fiber preform comprise carbon fibers or carbon precursor fibers.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising applying an electrostatic charge to at least some of the powder mixture, wherein the electrostatic charge is configured to cause the at least some of the powder mixture to be electrically attracted to the carbon-carbon composite.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
machining a resin material to form the resin powder.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising heating the infiltrated preform to carbonize the resin powder to form a composite article, wherein the infiltrated preform is not subjected to a resin stabilization cycle prior to carbonizing the resin powder.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Seminara Gary J
• Rateick Jr Richard George

Classifications

• C04B35/64

  Burning or sintering processes (C04B33/32 takes precedence {; powder metallurgy B22F}) · CPC title

• C04B35/806

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• C04B2235/5248

  Carbon, e.g. graphite · CPC title

• C23C16/045 Primary

  Coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates · CPC title

• C23C16/56

  After-treatment · CPC title