Fabrication of composite laminates having thin interlayers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016257104-A1
Application number	US-201414553568-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 25, 2014
Priority date	Nov 25, 2014
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of fabricating a composite laminate comprises forming a stack including first and second fiber beds and an interlayer between the fiber beds. The fiber beds are impregnated with matrix resin. The interlayer includes a soluble thermoplastic component on an insoluble component. The method further comprises dissolving the soluble thermoplastic component into the matrix resin to reduce thickness of the interlayer.

First claim

1 . A method of fabricating a composite laminate, comprising:
forming a stack including first and second fiber beds and an interlayer between the fiber beds, the fiber beds impregnated with matrix resin, the interlayer including an insoluble component on a soluble thermoplastic component; and dissolving the soluble thermoplastic component into the matrix resin to reduce thickness of the interlayer.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the interlayer is between 2 and 20 microns after dissolving the soluble thermoplastic component.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the interlayer is between 3 and 8 microns after dissolving the soluble thermoplastic component.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the matrix resin is thermoplastic-starved; and wherein the soluble thermoplastic component is dissolved into the thermoplastic-starved matrix resin.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the soluble thermoplastic component is mixed with the matrix resin in a region adjacent the insoluble component.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the insoluble component includes first and second insoluble films, and the soluble component includes first and second soluble thermoplastic films; and wherein forming the stack includes depositing the first insoluble and soluble films on the first fiber bed, and depositing the second insoluble and soluble films on the second fiber bed.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first insoluble and soluble films are deposited as a first bi-component film on the first fiber bed, and the second insoluble and soluble films are deposited as a second bi-component film on the second fiber bed.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the insoluble component includes an insoluble film, and the soluble component includes first and second soluble thermoplastic films on opposite sides of the insoluble film.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the insoluble film and the first and second soluble thermoplastic films form a tri-component film; and wherein forming the stack includes depositing the tri-component film on the first fiber bed, and placing the second fiber bed on the tri-component film.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a veil includes a plurality of insoluble filaments with soluble thermoplastic coatings; and wherein forming the stack includes depositing the veil on the first fiber bed and depositing the second fiber bed on the veil.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the insoluble component includes first and second pluralities of insoluble filaments or particles; wherein the soluble component includes soluble thermoplastic coatings on the filaments or particles;
and wherein the first plurality of coated filaments is deposited on the first fiber bed, and the second plurality of coated filaments is deposited on the second fiber bed.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein insoluble particles or insoluble discontinuous filaments are dispersed in a film of soluble thermoplastic material; and wherein forming the stack includes depositing the film on the first fiber bed and the second fiber bed on the film.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the interlayer is patterned to provide a plurality of portions having different levels of resistance to crack propagation, the different portions having at least one of different spatial densities of toughened regions and different compositions for the toughened regions.

14 . An article for fabricating a composite laminate, the article comprising an insoluble film having a thickness between 2 and 20 microns, and at least one soluble thermoplastic film bonded to the insoluble film, the at least one soluble thermoplastic film increasing thickness of the article.

15 . The article of claim 14 , wherein the insoluble film is insoluble thermoplastic.

16 . The article of claim 14 , wherein the at least one soluble thermoplastic film includes first and second soluble thermoplastic films bonded to opposite surfaces of the insoluble film.

17 . The article of claim 14 , further comprising first and second fiber beds, wherein the insoluble film and the at least one soluble thermoplastic film are between the first and second fiber beds.

18 . An article for fabricating a composite laminate, the article comprising a veil of insoluble discontinuous filaments having soluble thermoplastic coatings.

19 . The article of claim 18 , wherein the veil includes short chopped coated filaments bound together into a lightweight non woven mat.

20 . The article of claim 19 , further comprising first and second fiber beds on opposite sides of the veil.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Wilenski Mark Stewart
• Hurley Kelsi Marie

Classifications

• B32B2264/0221

  Thermoplastic elastomer particles · CPC title

• B32B2605/00

  Vehicles · CPC title

• B32B5/22

  characterised by the presence of two or more layers which {are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed (layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles next to a foam layer B32B19/047, next to a layer made of particles B32B19/048, or next to a fibrous or filamentary layer B32B19/06; paper layer or cardboard layer next to a paper layer or cardboard layer B32B29/005, next to a foam layer B32B29/007, next to a fibrous or filamentary layer B32B29/02, or next to a particulate layer B32B29/04)} · CPC title

• B32B37/144 Primary

  using layers with different mechanical or chemical conditions or properties, e.g. layers with different thermal shrinkage, layers under tension during bonding (constructional features for tensioning B32B38/1825) · CPC title

• B32B5/10

  characterised by a fibrous {or filamentary} layer reinforced with filaments · CPC title