General Electric Company

Stephen Mark Whiteker

Warren Rosal Ronk

Lee Alan Blanton

Robert Paul Fairbanks

Richard Thomas Price

Gregory Joseph Meibers

Suresh Subramanian

James Dale Steibel

Douglas Melton Carper

Matthew Bernard Buczek

Lisa Vinciguerra Shafer

Todd Aaron Bullions

Thomas Carl Mesing

Terry James Kent

Allan Robert Sieckman

Scott Roger Finn

Edward Atwood Rainous

Curt Brian Curtis

Qi Zhu

Deepali Bhate

A method for forming a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component for gas turbine engines. The method contemplates replacing a plurality of plies with insert material. The insert material can be partially cured or pre-cured and applied in place of a plurality of small plies or it may be inserted into cavities of a component in the form of a paste or a ply. The insert material is isotropic, being formed of a combination of matrix material and chopped fibers, tow, cut plies or combinations thereof. The use of the insert material allows for features such as thin edges () with thicknesses of less than about 0.030 inches and small radii such as found in corners (). The CMC components of the present invention replace small ply inserts cut to size to fit into areas of contour change or thickness change, and replace the small ply inserts with a fabricated single piece discontinuously reinforced composite insert, resulting in fewer defects, such as wrinkles, and better dimensional control.

Method of manufacturing CMC articles having small complex features

A polyimide prepolymer blend including a first prepolymer component comprising a first polyimide oligomer having the formula E-[R]-Eand a second prepolymer component selected from M, a second polyimide oligomer having the formula E-[R]-E, and combinations thereof; where Rand Rindependently comprise: where n is from about 1 to about 5, V is a tetravalent substituted or unsubstituted aromatic monocyclic or polycyclic linking structure, R is a substituted or unsubstituted divalent organic radical. Eand Eindependently comprise crosslinkable functional groups. Mcomprises a mixture of monomeric compounds including a diamine component, a dianhydride component, and an end group component. The prepolymer blend, prior to cure, provides at least one predetermined prepolymer blend property; and when cured under suitable cure conditions, the prepolymer blend provides a crosslinked polyimide matrix having at least one predetermined crosslinked matrix property.

Tailorable polyimide prepolymer blends, crosslinked polymides and articles formed therefrom

A containment case comprises a composite core, with an inner surface, and at least one ceramic layer integrated with the composite core. The at least one ceramic layer is bonded to the inner surface of the composite core with a resin. In another embodiment, a containment case comprises a composite core, with an inner surface, and a hybrid material comprising at least one ceramic material and at least one non-ceramic material. The hybrid material is disposed on the inner surface of the composite core. The hybrid material is bonded to the inner surface of the composite core with a resin. A method of fabricating a containment case includes the steps of disposing one or more layers of ceramic fabric on an inner surface of a composite core, infusing the composite core and the one or more layers of ceramic fabric with resin, and curing the resin.

Containment cases and method of manufacture

A method for forming a polyimide composite article utilizes a polyimide resin system including at least a first prepolymer component and a second prepolymer component. A preform structure is tackified with the first prepolymer component. Using resin infusion or resin transfer molding techniques, the tackified preform structure is contacted with the second prepolymer component. The polyimide resin system is cured under suitable cure conditions so that the first and second prepolymer components mix and react to produce the polyimide composite structure.

Methods for forming composite articles from tailorable polyimide resin systems using RTM and RI techniques

Tailorable polyimide resin systems suitable for processing by resin transfer molding (RTM) and resin infusion (RI) methods. An exemplary resin system includes first and second prepolymer components present in respective amounts to provide the desired processibility. The cured polyimide system exhibits high glass transition temperature and other properties required for gas turbine engine applications. The first and second prepolymer components independently comprise a monomeric mixture or a reaction product of a diamine component, a dianhydride component, and an end group component.

RTM and RI processible tailorable polyimide resin systems and composite articles formed therefrom

A method for fabricating a reinforced matrix composite comprising the step of providing a composite preform having a fibrous structure and applying matrix material onto the preform in locations along the preform. A barrier material is applied to at least a portion of the coated preform to direct the flow of matrix material into the preform. The composite preform is heated to a temperature sufficient to render the matrix material viscous and insufficient to cure the matrix material. The pressure to the interior of the composite preform is reduced, while the pressure to the barrier material is increased. The temperature is maintained to flow the matrix material into the composite preform and to force gases from the fibrous structure. The composite preform is then cured and cooled to form a reinforced matrix composite having a low void content and a substantially uniform matrix distribution.

Method for fabricating reinforced composite materials

Methods for forming thermal oxidative barrier coatings for organic matrix composites include applying a bond coat having nano-particles dispersed in a polyimide matrix to a hot side surface of a component and overlying the bond coat with a thermal barrier layer comprising a silsesquioxane or an inorganic polymer. The nano-particles may include clay platelets, graphite flakes or a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane. The bond coat may be applied as a liquid. The thermal barrier layer may be applied as a liquid, film, prepreg, molding compound, or a spray.

Methods for forming thermal oxidative barrier coatings on organic matrix composite substrates

A tailorable polyimide resin system may be used to form an organic matrix composite (OMC) structure for use in high temperature applications. A thermal oxidative barrier coating on the OMC may include a bond coat comprising a tailorable polyimide resin system. The bond coat may include nano-particles such as clay platelets, graphite flakes or a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane. The coating system may include a thermal barrier layer including a silsesquioxane or an inorganic polymer. The tailorable polyimide resin system includes first and second independent prepolymer components able to impart desired properties in the prepolymer blend or the crosslinked polyimide matrix.

Organic matrix composite structures and thermal oxidative barrier coating therefor

A thermal oxidative barrier coating for organic matrix composites includes a bond coat having nano-particles dispersed in a polyimide matrix and a thermal barrier layer comprising a silsesquioxane or an inorganic polymer. The nano-particles may include clay platelets, graphite flakes or a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane. The coated article may be utilized in gas turbine engine applications, particularly for a flow path duct adapted for exposure to high temperature, oxygen-containing environments.

Thermal oxidative barrier coatings for organic matrix composite substrates and coated articles

A process for forming a molded polymer resin fiber tube clamp, as well as the tube clamp formed by that process. Continuous top and bottom plies provide increased resistance to delamination/cracking as they sandwich a filler material. The tube clamp is free from exposed fiber ends so than no wear is produced on a tube being clamped.

Polyimide resin and carbon fiber molded tube clamp

A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component for gas turbine engines, the component having fine features such as thin edges with thicknesses of less than about 0.030 inches and small radii of less that about 0.030 inches formed using the combination of prepreg plies layed up with non-ply ceramic inserts. The CMC components of the present invention replace small ply inserts cut to size to fit into areas of contour change or thickness change, and replace the small ply inserts with a fabricated single piece discontinuously reinforced composite insert, resulting in fewer defects, such as wrinkles, and better dimensional control.

CMC articles having small complex features

The present invention is ceramic matrix composite gas turbine engine component comprising a plurality of cured ceramic matrix composite plies, each ply comprising ceramic fiber tows, each ceramic fiber tow comprising a plurality of ceramic fibers, the tows in each ply lying adjacent to one another such that each ply has a unidirectional orientation. The component further comprises a layer of a coating on the ceramic fibers. The component further comprises a ceramic matrix material lying in interstitial regions between the fibers and tows of each ply and the interstitial region between the plurality of plies, wherein at least a portion of the component is no greater than about 0.021 inch thick. The present invention is also a method for making such a ceramic matrix composite component.

Manufacture of CMC articles having small complex features

A reinforced matrix composite containment duct for gas turbine engines comprising a reinforced matrix composite containment duct having high strength integral flanges and pre-stressed reinforcing fibers, the reinforced matrix composite having uniform distribution of matrix material; and the reinforced matrix composite having less than or equal to 2.5% void space.

Reinforced matrix composite containment duct

A mold tool for forming a reinforced matrix composite part for a gas turbine engine, comprising a body. The body comprises a body surface capable of receiving a first portion of a composite preform. A first endplate and second endplate are attached to the body and include a substantially planar surface disposed perpendicular to the body surface. A first and second set of plates are attached to the first and second endplate adjacent to the body surface and have a geometries that includes a first and second cavity bounded by the first and second plate and first and second endplate. The first and second cavities have a volume sufficient to receive a second portion of a composite preform. The second cavity is in fluid communication with the first cavity, which is in fluid communication with a vacuum source.

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Covington, KY, United States of America

Stephen Mark Whiteker