While composite materials have become ubiquitous in aerospace structures over the past decade, their out-of-plane properties are highly dependent on the polymer matrix which for applications such as the reinforcement of gun barrels can lead to through thickness compression rather than axial stress applied to the fibers. Trimer Technologies recently identified a unique technology based on graphene applied to the surface of a prepreg which through preliminary testing has been shown to increase the fracture toughness compared to bare prepreg. This material enhancement is achieved using a low-cost approach which is scalable and can be applied directly to the surface of existing PEEK prepregs. The research proposed will study the graphene formation, demonstrate roll-to-roll manufacturing and optimize the graphene structure to maximize the strength and toughness of fiber reinforced composites. The proposed approach offers a novel, scalable and low-cost method to increase the toughness of composite materials with thermally stable and high strength graphene. Moreover, the superior electrical and thermal properties of graphene may be leveraged to reduce manufacturing costs and add multifunctionality. Because composites are being utilized in almost all military systems, the technology proposed here has clear potential to impact a wide range of military applications.
