Honeywell International Inc.

Alan E Fatz

Mark L La Forest

Thomas Heinrich Siegmund

Raymond J Cipra

Charles A Parker

Frank Dillon

Nabil Abu Gharbieh

Tobey Cordell

Peter F Braunisch

Preform for carbon-carbon composite part () comprising multiple layers of fibrous mats () wherein each mat () comprises random carbon-containing fibrous matrix () having polymeric binder distributed therein and wherein adjacent mats () are bound together by additional polymer binder, stitching, and interlocking tabs. Also, method of manufacturing thick multi-layer composite preform, by: providing optionally reconfigurable tool including perforated screen through which vacuum can be drawn; delivering chopped fibers (b) to the tool while drawing vacuum therethrough to form fibrous object; delivering binder (c) to the fibrous object; melting or curing the binder (d) to make a fibrous mat (); assembling plurality of the fibrous mats () and additional binder into the shape of a preform (e); and heat-pressing the resulting mat assembly (f) into finished thick preform ().

Manufacture of thick preform composites via multiple pre-shaped fabric mat layers

Annular brake disc preform (), wherein 40 to 80 layers of reinforcement fibers of at least two different lengths () ranging from 10&#x2013;60 mm are distributed in a planar gradient throughout the body of the preform, with the reinforcement fibers located near the exterior planes of the disc being predominately shorter fibers () and with the reinforcement fibers located in the central planes of the disc being predominately longer fibers (). Also, process of making carbon-carbon composite preforms by: providing chopped pitch or PAN fibers () of at least two different lengths; directing a robotic spraying apparatus to spray the chopped fibers into an annular mold () in 40 to 80 concentric iterations of chopped fiber deposition to provide a matrix of fibers in the mold; depositing a curable binder into the mold to intermix the binder with the fiber matrix; compressing the fiber matrix and curable binder within the mold; curing the binder to form a preform matrix; filling the preform matrix with pitch to form a pitch matrix; and subjecting the pitch matrix to chemical vapor deposition to form a carbon-carbon composite preform ().

Manufacture of functionally graded carbon-carbon composites

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Centerville, OH, United States of America

Alan E Fatz