Composite article having multifunctional properties and method for its manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10343372-B2
Application number	US-201415322972-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2014
Priority date	Jul 3, 2014
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

The present invention regards an article ( 5 ) comprising at least one composite material, comprising matrix material ( 19 ) and at least one micro-sized reinforcement element distributions ( 23 ), arranged in plies ( 13 ) positioned on top of each other. The nano-sized reinforcement elements ( 17, 17′, 17″, 17 ′″) are arranged in between and/or inside the micro-sized reinforcement element distributions ( 23 ), the nano-sized reinforcement elements ( 17, 17′, 17″, 17 ′″) having matrix material accumulation properties so as to provide a tailored increased reinforcement volume of said one or more distributions ( 23 ). The present invention regards a method for manufacture of a composite article ( 5 ) and use of the article ( 5 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An article ( 5 ) comprising at least one composite material, comprising matrix material ( 19 ) and at least one micro-sized reinforcement element distributions ( 23 ), arranged in plies ( 13 ) positioned on top of each other, wherein nano-sized reinforcement elements ( 17 , 17 ′, 17 ″, 17 ′″) are arranged at least one of in between, inside of, or on one side of an outer surface of the micro-sized reinforcement element distributions ( 23 ), wherein the nano-sized reinforcement elements ( 17 , 17 ′, 17 ″, 17 ′″) have matrix material accumulation properties so as to provide a tailored increased reinforcement volume of said one or more distributions ( 23 ), wherein a portion of the nano-sized reinforcement elements ( 17 , 17 ′, 17 ″, 17 ′″) are each arranged with orientation parallel with the plane of the ply ( 13 ) and in a radial direction relative to a hole ( 33 , 34 , 36 ) in the composite article ( 5 ), and wherein a majority of the portion of the nano-sized reinforcement elements ( 17 , 17 ′, 17 ″, 17 ′″) are positioned adjacent to and surrounding the hole ( 33 , 34 , 36 ).

2. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-sized reinforcement element distribution comprises micro-sized fiber distributions ( 23 ).

3. The article according to claim 2 , wherein fibers of the micro-sized fiber distributions ( 23 ) are structural reinforcement fibers of graphite, carbon, silicon carbide, alumina, E-glass, aramid, polyethylene, quartz, organic or other fibers or a combination of these used for this purpose as well as fibers used for electrical or thermal properties or other purpose.

4. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the matrix material is either one or several different materials.

5. The article according to claim 4 , wherein the matrix materials are one or more of: several thermoset polymeric materials selected from the group consisting of: epoxy based resin, bismaleimide resin, polyimide, vinyl ester, cyanate ester, phenyl ethynyl-terminated imide (PETI) resin, thermoplastic polymeric materials and phenolic resin, or combinations thereof; or a thermoplastic resin selected from the group consisting of: polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyether ketone ketone (PEKK), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetherimide (PEI), nylon 6, nylon 66, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or combinations thereof; or mixtures thereof; or ceramic materials; or metallic materials.

6. The article to claim 1 , wherein the micro-sized reinforcement element distributions ( 23 ) comprise an arrangement of the nano-sized reinforcement elements.

7. The article according to claim 6 , wherein the nano-sized reinforcement elements ( 17 , 17 ′, 17 ″, 17 ′″) comprise Carbon Nano Tubes (CNTs).

8. The article according to claim 7 , wherein the nano-sized reinforcement elements are aligned as at least one of grown CNT “forests”, radially grown CNTs on micro-sized fibers, or one or more other available forms of nano-sized materials in aligned arrangements.

9. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the nano-sized reinforcement elements ( 17 , 17 ′, 17 ″, 17 ′″) are arranged in between at least two plies ( 13 ) of the composite article ( 5 ), including the case where the nano-sized reinforcement elements have been formed or grown on the surface of the micro-sized reinforcement elements.

10. The article according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the location, width, height, or volume content of the nano-sized reinforcement elements ( 17 , 17 ′, 17 ″, 17 ′″) is at least one of constant or different, including locally no addition of nano-sized materials, through the thickness of the composite article ( 5 ).

11. The article according to claim 1 , wherein another portion of the nano-sized reinforcement elements ( 17 , 17 ′, 17 ″, 17 ′″) are aligned in a direction at least one of orthogonally or any angle direction to the plane of the ply ( 13 ).

12. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the nano-sized reinforcement elements ( 17 , 17 ′, 17 ″, 17 ′″) are arranged in single or multiple individual sub-plies stacked or interleafed as to form combinations of element orientations and sub-ply thicknesses suitable regarding functionality to enhance overall composite manufacturability and performance.

13. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the nano-sized reinforcement elements ( 17 , 17 ′, 17 ″, 17 ′″) comprise Nano Cones.

14. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the nano-sized reinforcement elements ( 17 , 17 ′, 17 ″, 17 ′″) comprise Nano Discs.

15. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the nano-sized reinforcement elements ( 17 , 17 ′, 17 ″, 17 ′″) comprise Nano Fibers.

16. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-sized reinforcement element distributions ( 23 ) comprise graphene.

17. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-sized reinforcement element distributions ( 23 ) comprise distributed grown nano-sized reinforcement elements grown on a graphene substrate.

18. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-sized reinforcement element distributions ( 23 ) comprise graphite, including multilayers of graphene.

19. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the micro-sized reinforcement element distributions ( 23 ) comprise distributed grown nano-sized reinforcement elements grown on a graphite substrate.

20. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the composite material is arranged for improved strength or reduced strength.

21. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the composite material is arranged for de-icing/anti-icing.

22. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the composite material is arranged for electrical conductivity/insulation of the article, including fulfilling the criteria for a functionally graded material.

23. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the composite material is arranged for electromagnetic transmission, including fulfilling the criteria for a functionally graded material.

24. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the composite material is arranged for thermal conductivity/insulation of the article, including fulfilling the criteria for a functionally graded material.

25. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the composite material is arranged for controlled thermal elongation and/or contraction of the article, including fulfilling the criteria for a functionally graded material.

26. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the composite material is partly or totally made up from pre-impregnated micro-sized reinforcement elements, such as pre-preg plies.

27. The article according to claim 1 , wherein the composite material is partly or totally made up from any other composite material form suitable to a selected manufacturing method.

28. The article according to claim 1 , wherein another portion of the nano-sized reinforcement elements ( 17 , 17 ′, 17 ″, 17 ′″) are protruding fiber-like elements extending away from and above an outer surface of the article.

Assignees

• Saab Ab

Inventors

• Hallander Per
• Nordin Pontus
• Strindberg Goete

Classifications

• B29C70/08 Primary

  comprising combinations of different forms of fibrous reinforcements incorporated in matrix material, forming one or more layers, and with or without non-reinforced layers · CPC title

• B29L2031/3076

  Aircrafts (blades, propellers B29L2031/08) · CPC title

• B29C70/48

  and impregnating the reinforcements in the closed mould, e.g. resin transfer moulding [RTM] {, e.g. by vacuum} · CPC title

• B82Y30/00

  Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites · CPC title

• B29C70/88

  characterised primarily by possessing specific properties, e.g. electrically conductive or locally reinforced · CPC title