The Boeing Company

Theboeing Company

Kelsi Marie Hurley

Panagiotis Emanuel George

Mark Stewart Wilenski

Erika Lane Carter

Keith Daniel Humfeld

Samuel J Meure

Hardik Dalal

Ashley C Tracey

William L Carberry

Disclosed herein is a composite sandwich panel that includes a first face portion with fully consolidated comingled first fibers and a first thermoplastic matrix. The composite sandwich panel also includes a second face portion with fully consolidated comingled second fibers and a second thermoplastic matrix. Additionally, the composite sandwich panel includes at least one core portion with partially consolidated comingled third fibers and a third thermoplastic matrix. The at least one core portion is interposed between the first and second face portions. The first thermoplastic matrix is melded with the third thermoplastic matrix and the second thermoplastic matrix is melded with the third thermoplastic. A density of the fibers across a thickness of the composite panel is non-uniform.

Composite sandwich panel and associated methods of manufacture

A ply for fabricating composite material includes a first tow of a plurality of fibers, which are spread in a direction along a width of a cross section of the ply, wherein a first sheet of enhanced performance material overlies the first tow. A second tow of a plurality of fibers, which are spread in the direction along the width of the cross section of the ply, overlies the first sheet of the enhanced performance material. Another tow of a plurality of fibers, which are spread in the direction along the width of the cross section of the ply, are positioned against and laterally extend from the first tow, the second tow and the first sheet of enhanced performance material.

Multi-layer plies for improved composite performance

A gradient tool for forming a part, the gradient tool comprising a first tool component comprising a first surface and a second surface. The first surface comprising a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), and the second surface comprising a second material having a second CTE. The first CTE of the first material is different than the second CTE of the second material.

Gradient tool system for composite parts

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.

Fabrication of composite laminates having thin interlayers

A ply for fabricating composite material which includes a first tow including a plurality of fibers spread in a direction along a width of a cross section of the ply. A first sheet of enhancement performance material extends within the plurality of fibers and between a top and a bottom of the cross section of the ply.

A layered composite assembly may include a plurality of composite fiber layers stacked onto one another. Each of the plurality of composite fiber layers may include a main body including a plurality of composite fibers. The main body may be pre-impregnated with at least one resin. Each composite fiber layer also includes a plurality of layer-securing pins secured to the main body. The layer-securing pins are configured to mechanically connect the main body to an adjacent composite fiber layer.

Method of forming a layered composite assembly

A composite laminate comprises first and second fiber beds, and an interlayer between the fiber beds. The interlayer includes toughened regions that extend between the fiber beds and are fused to the fiber beds.

Composite laminate including interlayers with through-plane regions fused to fiber beds

A method is disclosed for recycling broad goods material into a flaked feed material. The broad goods material includes reinforcement fibers and thermoplastic material. The recycling method includes applying heat and pressure to impregnate the reinforcement fibers at a filament level with the thermoplastic material to form an impregnated fiber material. The method also includes cooling the impregnated fiber material, and cutting the cooled impregnated fiber material into flakes to produce the flaked feed material.

Recycling of broad goods with thermoplastic stabilizer materials

In an embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided a method and system for recycling a cured composite laminate material into a delaminated recyclate that maintains a fiber volume fraction and a lamina level fiber alignment substantially the same as the cured composite laminate material. The method provides a cured composite laminate material having a fiber volume fraction and a lamina level fiber alignment. The cured composite laminate material undergoes solvent soak preconditioning, liquid solvent removal, pre-heating, and rapid heating with phase change delamination of the cured composite laminate material to obtain the delaminated recyclate that maintains a fiber volume fraction and a lamina level fiber alignment substantially the same as the cured composite laminate material.

Growing community of inventors

Kent, WA, United States of America

Kelsi Marie Hurley