Advanced electron beam composites and modeling approach for spacecraft and transportation applications

摘要

Electron beam curing (EBC) has been used at AEROSPATIALE MATRA Lanceurs strategiques et spatiaux (AML) for many years for filament wound motor case fabrication. Epoxy acrylate resins and adhesives have been developed for this purpose. The numerous advantages brought by EBC have lead AML to apply this technique to other fields like transportation and space structures. These new applications require an increase of mechanical perofmrnaces, mainly out of the fiber's directions and thermal performance i.e. T_g of the resin. Modeling approach to predict the polymerization of acrylate resins is also necessary in order to limit time and cost of development. This paper presents the different models covering the determination of dose and dose rate distribution, the evaluation of the temperature map during irradiation and finally the evolution of degree of curing in correlation with T_g. Resins and interfaces have also been addresse.d New systems of resin with hgiher T_g were developed and their properties are presented. Soultions to increase level of adhesion between acrylate materices and IM carbon fibers have been developed. The resultant transverse mechanical properties of composite have been evaluated.