SBIR-STTR Award

The use of fiber reinforced polymer composite on commercial and military applications are increasing rapidly as replacement for aluminum. To make composites affordable and improve quality, several manufacturing methods, such as, filament winding, pultrusion, resin transfer molding (RTM), and vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VaRTM) have been developed for resin systems that cure at 350 degrees F and have a service temperature in the 250 to 350 degrees F range. The VaRTM process has been shown to significantly reduce manufacturing and tooling costs. However, the full benefit of VaRTM/RTM would not be realized until resin systems curable at 180 degrees F or less with performance that rivals those cured at 350 degrees F are developed. The innovation presented in this proposal is to develop an affordable, low viscosity resin system curable thermally at 180 degrees F or less or with electron beam (EB). Using 3501-6 as the baseline, several resin systems will be formulated and curing process developed. This Phase I program will focus on formulating and evaluating resins that meet the criteria noted above. Physical, thermal, rheological, kinetics, and chemical resistance data of the resin will be developed in "neat" form. Carbon cloth reinforced with the developed resin will be evaluated for physical, thermal, and permanency properties

Based on the objectives set forth in the Air Force Phase I SBIR (AF99-155) to develop "Advanced Resin for RTM/VARTM Processing", A.T.A.R.D. Laboratories has developed three low viscosity, low temperature cure, non-carcinogen resins suitable for making affordable, lightweight, composite hardware. The resins are SI-ATO-7, SI-AZC-3, and SI-AYP-6. The rheological, kinetics, thermal, physical, and chemical resistant characteristics of the systems show that a suitable, even one-component toughened system is within our reach with continued support for the Phase II effort. For instance, two of the systems developed compare well with 3501-6 and PR500 resin systems currently used in the aerospace and defense industry except that these new resins are low in viscosity at room temperature making them more suited for the RTM/VARTM processing. The third system is tougher than 3M PR520 and is very low in viscosity and has a wet Tg of 250 degrees F. The preponderance of composites currently made for the aerospace applications are autoclave cured and, therefore, labor intensive and expensive. The use of the resins developed in Phase I after refinement, optimization, and a larger database will enable composite fabricators for government and civil applications to switch to the RTM/VARTM processing. The switch will provide affordable composite with no size limitation. The resin systems resulting from this program will provide composite fabricators for aerospace, military, marine, recreational, petrochemical, and others a limitless way to fabricate any fiber-reinforced composite hardware for years to come. Extension of the technology to other industries will benefit mankind from the ever-shrinking limited earth resources.

Keywords:
180 DEGREES F CURABLE AFFORDABLE RESIN CARBON-REINFORCED COMPOSITES ELECTRON BEAM LOW VISCOSITY PROC