Molding composite part with metal layer
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsEric A. Bruton, Christopher H. Childers, Stephen P. Gaydos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of molding a metalized composite part. The method comprises: introducing particles comprising at least one metal into a gas stream; directing the gas stream toward a surface of a thermoplastic composite part, thereby depositing a metal layer on the composite part to form a metallized composite part; and molding the metallized composite part to introduce a bend without delamination of the metal layer from the metallized composite part.
Claims33
A method of molding a metallized composite part, the method comprising:
- disposing an electrochemical insulating layer comprising poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK), poly-ether-ketone-ketone (PEKK), or a combination thereof, onto a surface of a thermoplastic composite part;
- introducing particles comprising at least one metal into a gas stream, the particles being at a temperature that is lower than the melting point of the particles;
- directing the gas stream toward a surface of the thermoplastic composite part, thereby cold spraying a metal layer on the composite part to form the metallized composite part;
- after forming the metallized composite part, heating the metal layer at an anneal temperature ranging from about 315° C. to about 400° C., the anneal temperature being maintained for a period of time ranging from about 30 seconds to about 30 minutes so as to increase ductility of the metal layer compared to the ductility of the metal layer prior to the heating;
- and
- molding the metallized composite part to introduce a bend without delamination of the metal layer from the metallized composite part, wherein the heating occurs prior to the molding;
- and
- wherein the electrochemical insulating layer is between the thermoplastic composite part and the metal layer.
A method of imparting electrical EMI resistance or lightning protection to a thermoplastic composite part, the method comprising:
- disposing an electrochemical insulating layer comprising poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK), poly-ether-ketone-ketone (PEKK), or a combination thereof, onto a surface of the thermoplastic composite part;
- introducing particles comprising at least one metal into a gas stream, the particles being at a temperature that is lower than the melting point of the particles;
- directing the gas stream toward a surface of a thermoplastic composite part, thereby cold spraying a metal layer on the composite part to form a metallized composite part;
- after forming the metallized composite part, heating the metal layer at an anneal temperature ranging from about 315° C. to about 400° C., the anneal temperature being maintained for a period of time ranging from about 30 seconds to about 30 minutes so as to increase ductility of the metal layer compared to the ductility of the metal layer prior to the heating;
- and
- molding the metallized composite part to introduce a bend without delamination of the metal layer from the metallized composite part,
- wherein the electrochemical insulating layer is between the thermoplastic composite part and the metal layer,
- wherein the heating of the metal layer occurs prior to the molding, and
- wherein the metal layer imparts electrical EMI resistance or lightning protection to the thermoplastic composite part.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.