Hydride forming of sheet materials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12030676-B1
Application number	US-202117451993-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 22, 2021
Priority date	Apr 22, 2021
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

A deployable structure includes a hydride material to be converted into hydrogen gas; and a sheet material encapsulating the hydride material; wherein the sheet material is to be plastically deformed by the hydrogen gas to have an expanded structure. A method of manufacturing a deployable structure includes: forming a sheet material comprising an outer shell structure and a hollow interior; placing a hydride material capable of being converted into hydrogen gas into the hollow interior; sealing the outer shell structure; and converting and releasing the hydrogen gas to expand and plastically deform the sheet material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A deployable structure comprising:
a hydride material to be converted into hydrogen gas;
a sheet material encapsulating the hydride material; and
a trigger in contact with the hydride material,
wherein the sheet material has a thickness of 25 μm to 1000 μm and a yield stress,
the hydride material is to release hydrogen gas in response to the trigger, and
the hydrogen gas is to generate a pressure greater than the yield stress of the sheet material such that the sheet material is plastically deformed by the hydrogen gas to have an expanded structure, and
wherein the trigger comprises at least one selected from a thermal trigger comprising a heat source to generate heat, a chemical trigger, and an electrical trigger.

2. The deployable structure of claim 1 , wherein the hydride material comprises a reversible hydride.

3. The deployable structure of claim 1 , wherein the hydride material comprises an irreversible hydride.

4. The deployable structure of claim 1 , wherein the sheet material comprises:
a pressure holding layer;
a plastic deformation layer outside the pressure holding layer; and
an optional hydrogen barrier layer inside the plastic deformation layer.

5. The deployable structure of claim 4 , wherein the plastic deformation layer comprises a metal comprising aluminum, titanium, iron, copper, beryllium, magnesium, nickel, or an alloy or mixture of any thereof.

6. The deployable structure of claim 4 , wherein the hydrogen barrier layer comprises a substantially continuous aluminum layer or coating.

7. The deployable structure of claim 4 , wherein the plastic deformation layer comprises a thermoplastic-fiber composite, a thermoset-fiber composite, and/or a b-staged thermosetting composite.

8. The deployable structure of claim 4 , wherein the pressure holding layer comprises a polymer material.

9. The deployable structure of claim 4 , wherein a temperature at which the hydride material is to be converted into hydrogen gas is matched with a plastic deformation or glass transition temperature of the plastic deformation layer.

10. The deployable structure of claim 1 , wherein the thermal trigger comprises a heat-generating coating on a surface of the sheet material to generate and apply heat to the hydride material to reach a temperature of 120° C. to 500° C.

11. The deployable structure of claim 1 , further comprising a female die surrounding the sheet material to determine one or more contours of the sheet material in the expanded structure.

12. A deployable structure comprising:
a hydride material to be converted into hydrogen gas;
a sheet material encapsulating the hydride material; and
a trigger in contact with the hydride material,
wherein the sheet material has a yield stress,
the hydride material is to release hydrogen gas in response to the trigger, and
the hydrogen gas is to generate a pressure greater than the yield stress of the sheet material such that the sheet material is plastically deformed by the hydrogen gas to have an expanded structure, and
wherein the trigger comprises at least one selected from a thermal trigger comprising a heat source to generate heat, a chemical trigger, and an electrical trigger, and
wherein the sheet material consists of a single aluminum foil.

Assignees

• Hrl Lab Llc

Inventors

• Graetz Jason A
• Vajo John J
• Henry Christopher P
• Sorensen Adam E
• Mcknight Geoffrey P

Classifications

• B64G1/2227

  Inflating · CPC title

• B32B15/08

  of synthetic resin · CPC title

• B64G1/66 Primary

  Arrangements or adaptations of apparatus or instruments, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B32B1/08

  Tubular products · CPC title

• B32B15/20 Primary

  comprising aluminium or copper {(B32B15/016 and B32B15/017 take precedence)} · CPC title