United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Southern Research Institute

Scott C Brown

Andrew Wayne Cain

Randell L Thompson

Described herein are composites that are relatively lightweight, high strength and low thermal conductivity. Also described herein are methods for the manufacture and use thereof.

Method for the manufacturing of a composite

A method for curing resin in the fabrication of a composite material is described comprising enclosing the composite material within a flexible vacuum enclosure, and substantially simultaneously pressing the material within the enclosure between first and second platens of a press to preselected pressure, evacuating the enclosure, selectively heating one of the platens according to a preselected scheme to preselected cure temperature to cure the resin within the material, and cooling the other platen to maintain a preselected temperature differential between the platens across the thickness of the material, whereby cure of the resin is effected in the material first near the heated platen and progresses through the thickness of the material toward the cooler platen as the material is heated to the cure temperature.

Advancing gelation front cure technique

An ultrasonic nondestructive system and method for monitoring resin cure during composite sheet material fabrication is described which comprises a first transducer for directing a plurality of ultrasonic pulses of preselected pulse frequency along a selected propagation axis onto a first surface of the material during the curing of the resin, a second transducer near the second surface of the material for receiving transmitted pulses and for providing output signals characteristic of the transmitted pulses, and electronic signal processor and display equipment responsive to signals from the second transducer for analyzing the signals and providing output corresponding to the amplitude and duration of the transmitted pulses.

Growing community of inventors

Sacramento, CA, United States of America

Scott C Brown