Reusable expandable media with flexible skin for composite manufacturing and methods thereof
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsXiaoxi Wang, Jill Elisabeth Seebergh, Gary E. Georgeson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A material system including a plurality of expandable pellets or a monolithic flexible carrier is disclosed, each of which may include a polymer matrix configured to hold an expandable core, and a flexible skin configured to encapsulate the polymer matrix, and where the flexible skin is at least partially permeable with respect to the expandable core or a gas released by the expandable core. Implementations of the material system may include where the polymer matrix may include a thermoplastic polymer. The material system may include a charging source configured to introduce blowing agent. A method of curing a composite part is also described.
Claims20
A method of curing a composite part, comprising:
- introducing a blowing agent into an expandable material to place the expandable material in a charged state;
- contacting the expandable material with an uncured composite part;
- subjecting the expandable material and the uncured composite part to a first temperature such that the expandable material transitions from a charged state to an activated state;
- maintaining the expandable material at the first temperature and in the charged state until the uncured composite part is a cured composite part;
- cooling the expandable material and the cured composite part to a second temperature;
- separating the expandable material from the cured composite material;
- and
- exposing the expandable material to a recovery condition;
- and
- wherein the expandable material comprises a polymer matrix configured to hold the blowing agent, and a flexible skin configured to:
- encapsulate the polymer matrix;
- and
- restrict escape of the blowing agent to control an expansion of the expandable material.
A method of curing a composite part, comprising:
- introducing a blowing agent into an expandable material to place the expandable material in a charged state;
- contacting the expandable material with an internal cavity of an uncured composite part;
- subjecting the expandable material and the internal cavity of the uncured composite part to a first temperature such that the expandable material transitions from a charged state to an activated state;
- maintaining the expandable material at the first temperature and in the charged state until the uncured composite part is a cured composite part;
- cooling the expandable material and the cured composite part to a second temperature;
- and
- wherein the expandable material comprises a polymer matrix configured to hold the blowing agent, and a flexible skin configured to:
- encapsulate the polymer matrix;
- and
- restrict escape of the blowing agent to control an expansion of the expandable material.
A method of curing a composite part, comprising:
- introducing a blowing agent into an expandable material to place the expandable material in a charged state;
- contacting the expandable material with an uncured composite part, wherein the uncured composite part is contained in a mold;
- subjecting the expandable material and the uncured composite part to a first temperature such that the expandable material transitions from the charged state to an activated state;
- maintaining the expandable material at the first temperature and in a charged state until the uncured composite part is a cured composite part;
- cooling the expandable material and the cured composite part to a second temperature;
- separating the expandable material from the cured composite material;
- and
- exposing the expandable material to a recovery condition;
- and
- wherein:
- the expandable material comprises a polymer matrix configured to hold the blowing agent, and a flexible skin configured to:
- encapsulate the polymer matrix;
- and
- restrict escape of the blowing agent to control an expansion of the expandable material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.