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US 12,215,206 B2Granted
Low-defect fabrication of composite materials
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsJeonyoon Lee, Brian L. Wardle, Diana Jean Lewis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for the fabrication of composite materials are generally described. Certain inventive methods and systems can be used to fabricate composite materials with few or no defects. According to certain embodiments, composite materials are fabricated without the use of an autoclave. In some embodiments, composite materials are fabricated in low pressure environments.
Claims18
A method of forming a composite article, comprising:
- heating a first substrate and/or a second substrate out of an autoclave such that at least a portion of the first substrate and/or at least a portion of the second substrate softens and/or melts and a forest of elongated nanostructures between the first substrate and the second substrate becomes at least partially embedded within the first substrate and/or the second substrate via capillary action to form the composite article comprising the first substrate, the second substrate, and the forest of elongated nanostructures;
- wherein:
- the forest of elongated nanostructures has a height;
- the forest of elongated nanostructures has a first dimension that is substantially perpendicular to the height of the forest, the first dimension being at least 100 times greater than the height of the forest;
- the forest of elongated nanostructures has a second dimension that is substantially perpendicular to the height of the forest and substantially perpendicular to the first dimension, the second dimension being at least 100 times greater than the height of the forest;
- and
- after the heating, the percentage of an interlaminar region of the composite article occupied by voids is less than or equal to 1%.
4 more elements
A method of forming a composite article, comprising:
- heating a first substrate and/or a second substrate while the first substrate and/or the second substrate is in an environment having a pressure of less than 3 bar absolute, such that at least a portion of the first substrate and/or at least a portion of the second substrate softens and/or melts and a forest of elongated nanostructures between the first substrate and the second substrate becomes at least partially embedded within the first substrate and/or the second substrate via capillary action to form the composite article comprising the first substrate, the second substrate, and the forest of elongated nanostructures;
- wherein:
- the forest of elongated nanostructures has a height;
- the forest of elongated nanostructures has a first dimension that is substantially perpendicular to the height of the forest, the first dimension being at least 100 times greater than the height of the forest;
- the forest of elongated nanostructures has a second dimension that is substantially perpendicular to the height of the forest and substantially perpendicular to the first dimension, the second dimension being at least 100 times greater than the height of the forest;
- and
- after the heating, the percentage of an interlaminar region of the composite article occupied by voids is less than or equal to 1%.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.