Carbon fiber preforms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016332881-A1
Application number	US-201514711426-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 13, 2015
Priority date	May 13, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In some examples, a method for forming a carbon fiber preform includes depositing, via a print head of a three-dimensional printing system, a first plurality of carbon fibers to form a first layer of carbon fibers in approximately an x-y plane, wherein the first plurality of carbon fibers are deposited around an array of carbon fiber filaments extending in approximately a z-axis direction relative to the x-y plane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for forming a carbon fiber preform, the method comprising depositing, via a print head of a three-dimensional printing system, a first plurality of carbon fibers to form a first layer of carbon fibers in approximately an x-y plane, wherein the first plurality of carbon fibers are deposited around and between respective carbon fiber filaments of an array of carbon fiber filaments extending in approximately a z-axis direction relative to the x-y plane.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one of translating the array of carbon fiber filaments relative to the x-y plane or rotating the array of carbon fiber filaments about an axis substantially parallel to the z-axis direction following the formation of the first layer of carbon fibers; and depositing, via the print head the three-dimensional printing system, a second plurality of carbon fibers on the first layer of carbon fibers to form a second layer of carbon fibers in approximately the x-y plane, wherein the second plurality of carbon fibers are deposited around and between respective carbon fiber filaments of the array of carbon fiber filaments extending in approximately the z-axis direction relative to the x-y plane following the at least one of translation or rotation of the array of carbon fiber filaments, and wherein the carbon fiber preform includes the first layer of carbon fibers, the second layer of carbon fibers and the array of carbon fiber filaments.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein rotating the array of carbon fiber filaments about the axis substantially parallel to the z-axis direction comprises rotating the array of carbon fiber filaments between approximately one degrees and approximately ten degrees about the axis.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the carbon fiber preform includes between approximately 15 to approximately 30 total layers each formed by depositing a plurality of carbon fibers to form a respective layer of carbon fiber followed by the at least one of translating or rotating the array of carbon fiber filaments following the formation of the respective layer of carbon fibers.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of carbon fibers comprises a plurality of at least one of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers, pitch fibers, oxidized PAN, carbon fiber derived from PAN, carbon fiber derived from pitch, or rayon.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing, via the print head of the three-dimensional printing device, the first plurality of carbon fibers to form the first layer of carbon fibers comprises depositing, via the print head of the three-dimensional printing device, the first plurality of carbon fibers along with a resin binder to form a first layer of carbon fibers and resin binder.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the resin binder comprises at least one of a synthetic resin, coal tar resin, petroleum isotropic and mesophase pitch, phenolic resin, or epoxy resin.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein preform includes between approximately 45 weight percent to approximately 85 weight percent of the plurality of carbon fibers, and between approximately 15 weight percent and approximately 55 weight percent of the resin binder.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
carbonizing the carbon fiber preform; and densifying the carbonized carbon fiber preform to form a densified carbon-carbon composite material.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the densified carbon-carbon composite material exhibits a density greater than or equal to approximately 1.7 grams per cubic centimeter.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each respective carbon fiber filament of the array of carbon fiber filaments comprises a substantially continuous carbon fiber tow.

12 . A carbon fiber preform comprising:
a first layer of carbon fibers formed by depositing, via a print head of a three-dimensional printing system, a first plurality of carbon fibers in approximately an x-y plane; and an array of carbon fiber filaments extending in approximately a z-axis direction relative to the x-y plane, wherein the first plurality of carbon fibers are deposited around and between respective carbon fiber filaments of the array of carbon fiber filaments.

13 . The preform of claim 12 , further comprising a second layer formed by depositing, via the print head of the three-dimensional printing system, a second plurality of carbon fibers on the first layer of carbon fibers to form the second layer of carbon fibers approximately the x-y plane, wherein the second plurality of carbon fibers are deposited around and between respective carbon fiber filaments of the array of carbon fiber filaments following at least one of translation of the array of carbon fiber relative the x-y plane or rotation of the array of carbon fiber filaments about an axis substantially parallel to the z-axis direction, and wherein the carbon fiber preform includes the first layer of carbon fibers, second layer of carbon fibers and the array of carbon fiber filaments.

14 . The preform of claim 13 , wherein the carbon fiber preform includes between approximately 15 to approximately 30 total layers each formed by depositing a plurality of carbon fibers to form a respective layer of carbon fiber followed by the at least one of translation or rotation of the array of carbon fiber filaments following the formation of the respective layer of carbon fibers.

15 . The preform of claim 13 , wherein the first plurality of carbon fibers comprises a plurality of at least one of polyacrylonitrile: (PAN) fibers, pitch fibers, oxidized PAN, carbon fiber derived from PAN, carbon fiber derived from pitch, or rayon.

16 . The preform of claim 13 , further comprising a resin binder configured to bind the first plurality of carbon fibers to form the first layer of carbon fibers.

17 . The preform of claim 16 , wherein the resin binder comprises at least one of a synthetic resin, coal tar resin, petroleum isotropic and mesophase pitch, phenolic resin, or epoxy resin.

18 . The preform of claim 16 , wherein preform includes between approximately 45 weight percent to approximately 85 weight percent of the plurality of carbon fibers, and between approximately 15 weight percent and approximately 55 weight percent of the resin binder.

19 . The preform of claim 13 , wherein each respective carbon fiber filament of the array of carbon fiber filaments comprises a substantially continuous carbon fiber tow.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Troester Jeffrey
• Fryska Slawomir T

Classifications

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/118

  using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] · CPC title

• B32B18/00

  Layered products essentially comprising ceramics, e.g. refractory products · CPC title

• C04B2235/77

  Density · CPC title

• C04B2235/6026

  Computer aided shaping, e.g. rapid prototyping · CPC title