Composite Materials in Aerospace Italian Association of Science and Technology: XXI Conference Catania, Italy 15th-17st May 2013

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83230913-DOC-TAS-EN-002

Aerospace Composites
Aerospace Main Design Drivers for Composites A rough distinction can be made as follows: Aeronautics: design primarily driven by strength & fatigue Space: design primarily driven by stiffness to avoid coupled resonant responses (e.g. between a satellite and its launcher) and long term on-orbit environment Common: mass optimization effort to maximize the embarked payload (aerospace), reduce fuel consumption (aircrafts) The different design needs address the choice of different composite materials (fibers & resin systems) for aircrafts and space structures
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ENVISAT: a European Earth observation satellite for environment monitoring (8200 kg)

Boeing 787 50 % composite

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Aerospace Composites Main Pros & Cons

Advantages Drawbacks
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Light Weight (Specific Strength/Stiffness) Low Coefficient of Thermal Expansion Low Thermal & Electrical Conductivity Tailorable Thermo-Mechanical properties in terms of: Fibers (type, diameter, UD, fabrics) Resin Systems Polymeric Matrix Mix Resin/Fiber Lay-up sequence & number of plies Reduced machining (mostly limited to cutting & holing)

Material cost (recurring & nonrecurring, storage and expiring) Low thermal & electrical conductivity (solvable with use of conductive fibers) Properties of structural laminates tend to deteriorate due to environmental conditions (transportation, prelaunch, launch) Strong concurrent design to manufacturing & tooling required NDI: more complex wrt metals, wide variety of defectology Repair: complex to recover structural integrity, impact damage visibility

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Aerospace Main Fiber Typologies for Composites

The composite materials fiber typologies:
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Fiber Typology Density Tensile Strength Tensile modulus [kg/m3] Carbon HT & SHT Carbon IM Carbon HM Carbon UHM Aramid LM Aramid HM Aramid UHM E-Glass
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[MPa] 3100 - 4500 4000 - 5600 2500 - 3500 1700 - 2000 3600 3100 3400 2400 3450 3700

[GPa] <100 200 200 350 350 450 > 450 60 120 180 70 90 70

1800 1800 1800 2000 1450 1450 1470 2500 2500 2500

Aircrafts: Primary Structures Satellites: Primary Structures Space Modules: MDPS, Aircrafts Radomes & Ballistic Protection Space Modules: Thermal Decoupling Elements, Aircrafts leading edges

S-Glass Glass quartz

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Aerospace Main Resin Typologies for Composites

The composite materials typologies vs temperatures:
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Epoxy for normal use where high stability and release of chemicals does not affect the performance, max working temperature of 150 C for 180 C curing systems Cyanate Esters superior thermal stability, low outgassing, low moisture absorption, radiation resistance

Satellites & Aircrafts

Satellites Aircrafts & Space Re-Entry Vehicles Aircrafts & Space ReEntry Vehicles

Bismaleimidic up to about 250 C due to high Mach or engines exhaust impingement (mostly aeronautic use: e.g. F22 Raptor Wings, C-17 Aft Flaps Hinge Fairing Structure, A330 Thrust Reversers, Formula 1 Racing Cars) Polyimide up to about 330 C (e.g. aircrafts engines nacelles)

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Composite Application in Space

Composite in Space Manned Applications ISS Manned modules applications, limited to internal secondary structures & external equipment Equipment Racks in Manned Structures (Epoxy CFRP)
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External Payloads (Epoxy CFRP)

Deployable Booms (Kevlar Epoxy)

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Composite Application in Space

Composite in Space Manned Applications Thermal Decoupling Washers (GFRP) for MDPS (Micro Meteoroids & Debris Protection System) panels attachment points
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GFRP Washer in MDPS panels attachment points

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Composite Application in Space

Launcher Parts

Composite in Space Unmanned Applications Satellite Primary Structures & Structural Components Launchers Inter-stage Structures, Engine Thrust Cones, Fairing, Adapters Platforms and Benches for Optical
Solar Arrays

Solar Arrays Antenna Reflectors

Truss Structures

Truss Structures Overwrapped Tanks

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Antenna Reflectors

Aerospace Composite Configurations

Aerospace Composite Configurations Typical configurations given by: Solid Laminates (mostly for high strength applications e.g. wing panels, fuselage segments in aircrafts, corrugated panels, struts)
B787 Composite Fuselage Segments CFRP Wing Panels
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Sandwich (mostly for high stiffness applications e.g. aircrafts floor panels & control surfaces, satellite primary structures)
Sandwich in Satellite Primary Structures
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Composite Application in Space

Satellite Structure Typical Configuration The satellite structural configuration is here represented and is typically based on a sandwich panels assembly with Al or CFRP skins and Al Honeycomb: Thrust Cone/Cylinder connected to the spacecraft adapter Shear Panels Lateral Panels Top & Bottom Closure Panels
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Satellite in Flight

Satellite with Subsystems

Satellite Primary Structure

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Current Sandwich Solutions

Versatility of Sandwich Panels Solution Inserting & potting for equipment fixation Brackets & machined parts under skin embedding Heat pipes embedding Connection of panels via angular shapes cleats Perspective of high multi functional panels
Inserts in Composite Sandwich
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Partial Potting Composite Sandwich

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Heat Pipes Embedding

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Full Potting Composite Sandwich

Under Development Sandwich Solutions

Towards Multifunctionality Composite materials and sandwich panels are suitable elements for Multi-functionality due to the possible embedding or surface patching since the manufacturing phase of: Wireless sensors Optical fibers Neural networks for HMS & data transmission Actuators piezo-electric/ceramic Electrical Cabling Solar cells Heat pipes Antennas Multi-functionality will work for: Higher reliability of aerospace vehicles Simultaneous satisfaction of multiple functional requirements Mass optimization: through high integration degree of different functions, components miniaturization
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Multifunctional Composite & Sandwich Panels

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TAS-I Composite Capabilities, Facilities & Equipment

TAS-I Composite Capabilities Manufacturing of composite structures by hand lay-up or filament winding plus autoclave cure Bonding of Aluminum/FRP sandwich panels, insert potting, edge taping
Filament Winding Plant
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TAS-I Facilities & Equipment

Clean rooms (100000 class, according to FEDSTD-209) covering an area of 800 m2 Numerically-controlled 4-axis filament winding machine (FWA1 Bolenz & Schaefer) for the automatic manufacture of axis-symmetrical composite parts up to 1.8 m in diameter and 3 m in length
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Autoclave

Autoclave (dimensions diam. 4 m x 12 m length).

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High Temp MMC Composites (target 700 C)

Design of a typical component: representative portion of a medium high temperature structure (e.g. engine thrust, wing panel or fuselage for a RLV) Component lay-up for MMC composite: basic skin layers (0,90,90,0), stringers layers (0,0,0,0) Panel breadboard size 200 x 500 mm Sizing for compression/buckling
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MMC Breadboard Design

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MMC Composites Development

Some panels breadboards (dim 200 x 500 mm) have been developed based on Ti6Al4V matrix and SiC (SCS-6) long fibers Target manufacturing processes: Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) for composite material of basic skin and half-stringers Super Plastic Forming (SPF) for L-shaping of each halfstringer Diffusion Bonding (DB) for bonding of half-stiffeners and fixation of stiffeners to the panel basic skin
PureTi6Al4V Areas Stringers Lay-up (0,0)

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MMC Section View

HIP Plant

DB Line 1

Development Panel Parts Lay-Up

DB Line 2

Development Panel Full Ti6Al4V

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MMC Composites Development

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2 breadboard panels have been successfully manufactured Characterization samples have been water jet cut for testing from all the 2 panels areas

Sample cutting from the 2 panels BBs

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MMC Composites Development

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Mechanical performances (tension, compression, fatigue creep) tested at both 700 C and RT before and after thermal cycling (100 cycles: representative of a Reusable Launch Vehicle operative life) Tension properties at RT up to 1200 MPa Tension properties at 700 C are still comparable w ith a good aerospace Al alloy (above 400 MPa) Thermal cycling has not significantly affected the mechanical properties

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Sample ready for testing

Final Panel Demo

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Thanks for Attention: Any Question ?

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This document is not to be reproduced, modified, adapted, published, translated in any material form in whole or in part nor disclosed to any third party without the prior written permission of Thales Alenia Space - 2013, Thales Alenia Space