# US 2018/0320706 A1 · Composite airfoil with metal strength > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0320706 A1 - Document ID: US20180320706A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/586,662 - Filed: 2017-05-04 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-04 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Nitesh Jain; Sujana Chandrasekar; Ramkrishna Maripalli; Nicholas Joseph Kray; Wendy Wenling Lin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180320706A1 ## CPC - F04D 29/388: {characterised by construction} - B29C 70/02: comprising combinations of reinforcements, {e.g. non-specified reinforcements, fibrous reinforcing inserts} and fillers, {e.g. particulate fillers}, incorporated in matrix material, forming one or more layers and with or without non-reinforced or non-filled layers {(combinations of fibrous reinforcement only B29C70/04; combinations of fillers only B29C70/58; combinations with non reinforcing inserts, e.g. foam blocks, B29C70/68)} - B29C 70/202: {arranged in parallel planes or structures of fibres crossing at substantial angles, e.g. cross-moulding compound [XMC] (B29C70/207 takes precedence)} - B32B 5/02: characterised by structural features of a {fibrous or filamentary} layer {(layer formed of metallic wires B32B15/02; layer formed of natural mineral fibres B32B19/02; layer formed of wood fibres B32B21/02)} - B32B 5/12: characterised by the relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of {different layers, e.g. the fibres or filaments being parallel or perpendicular to each other} - B32B 5/26: another layer {next to it} also being fibrous or filamentary {(relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12)} - B32B 7/02: Physical, chemical or physicochemical properties - B32B 37/144: {using layers with different mechanical or chemical conditions or properties, e.g. layers with different thermal shrinkage, layers under tension during bonding (constructional features for tensioning B32B38/1825)} - F01D 5/282: {Selecting composite materials, e.g. blades with reinforcing filaments} - F02C 3/04: having a turbine driving a compressor (power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16) - F02K 3/06: with front fan - F04D 29/023: {especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps} - F04D 29/324: {Blades} - B29L 2031/7504: {Turbines} - B32B 2250/20: All layers being fibrous or filamentary - B32B 2260/021: Fibrous or filamentary layer - B32B 2260/046: Synthetic resin - B32B 2262/103: Metal fibres - B32B 2262/106: Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres - B32B 2262/14: Mixture of at least two fibres made of different materials - B32B 2305/076: Prepregs - B32B 2307/546: Flexural strength; Flexion stiffness - B32B 2307/558: Impact strength, toughness - B32B 2457/00: Electrical equipment - B32B 2605/18: Aircraft - F05D 2220/36: specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines - F05D 2300/171: Steel alloys - F05D 2300/174: Titanium alloys, e.g. TiAl - F05D 2300/177: Ni - Si alloys - F05D 2300/224: Carbon, e.g. graphite - F05D 2300/6032: Metal matrix composites [MMC] - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - F02K: JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (features of jet-propulsion plants common to gas-turbine plants, air intakes or fuel supply control of air-breathing jet-propulsion plants F02C7/00, F02C9/00) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A laminated composite airfoil assembly includes a first lamina formed of a pre-preg material including metal fibers, and at least a second lamina formed of a pre-preg material including at least one of metal fibers intermixed with carbon fibers, only metal fibers, only carbon fibers, a substrate including metal fibers, a substrate including carbon fibers, and combinations thereof. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A laminated composite airfoil assembly comprising: a first lamina formed of a pre-preg material comprising metal fibers; and at least a second lamina formed of a pre-preg material comprising at least one of metal fibers intermixed with carbon fibers, only metal fibers, only carbon fibers, a substrate comprising metal fibers, a substrate comprising carbon fibers, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The airfoil assembly of claim 1, wherein said metal fibers comprise at least one of annealed steel, a nickel alloy, a nickel and chromium alloy, titanium, tungsten, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The airfoil assembly of claim 1, wherein said second lamina is formed from a different pre-preg material than said first lamina. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The airfoil assembly of claim 1, wherein said first lamina is formed from a pre-preg material comprising said metal fibers oriented in a first direction and said second lamina is formed from a pre-preg material comprising carbon fibers oriented in a second direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The airfoil assembly of claim 4, wherein said first lamina is formed from a pre-preg material comprising unidirectional metal fibers oriented in the first direction and said second lamina is formed from a pre-preg material comprising unidirectional carbon fibers oriented in the second direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The airfoil assembly of claim 1, wherein one of said first lamina and said second lamina is formed from a pre-preg material comprising unidirectional carbon fibers oriented in a first direction and metal fibers crisscrossing the carbon fibers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The airfoil assembly of claim 1, wherein said airfoil assembly comprises a plurality of laminae formed from pre-preg materials including said first lamina and said second lamina, and wherein a subset of laminae of said plurality of laminae are formed from pre-preg material comprising carbon fibers, said airfoil assembly further comprising metal threads extending into said subset of said plurality of laminae. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The airfoil assembly of claim 7, wherein said metal threads extend into said subset of said plurality of laminae in a 2.5D configuration. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The airfoil assembly of claim 7, wherein said metal threads extend into said subset of said plurality of laminae in a 3D configuration. ### Claim 10 A method of forming a laminated composite airfoil assembly comprising: providing a first lamina formed of a pre-preg material including metal fibers; and positioning a second lamina adjacent the first lamina, the second lamina formed of a pre-preg material including at least one of metal fibers intermixed with carbon fibers, only metal fibers, only carbon fibers, a substrate including metal fibers, a substrate including carbon fibers, and combinations thereof; and curing at least the first and second laminae to form the laminated composite airfoil assembly. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein providing the first lamina comprises providing the first lamina formed of a pre-preg material including metal fibers oriented in a first direction, and wherein positioning the second lamina comprises positioning the second lamina formed of a pre-preg material including carbon fibers oriented in a second direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the laminated composite airfoil assembly includes a plurality of laminae formed from pre-preg material including the first and second laminae, and wherein a subset of laminae of the plurality of laminae includes laminae formed from pre-preg material including carbon fibers, said method further comprising threading metal threads into the subset of the plurality of laminae. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein threading metal threads into the subset of the plurality of laminae comprises threading the metal threads in a 2.5D configuration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein threading metal threads into the subset of the plurality of laminae comprises threading the metal threads in a 3D configuration. ### Claim 15 An engine comprising: a core engine; and a fan powered by gas generated in said core engine, wherein said fan comprises at least one laminated composite airfoil assembly, said laminated composite airfoil assembly comprising: a first lamina formed of a pre-preg material comprising metal fibers; and at least a second lamina formed of a pre-preg material comprising at least one of metal fibers intermixed with carbon fibers, only metal fibers, only carbon fibers, a substrate comprising metal fibers, a substrate comprising carbon fibers, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The engine of claim 15, wherein said metal fibers comprise at least one of annealed steel, a nickel alloy, a nickel and chromium alloy, titanium, tungsten, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The engine of claim 15, wherein said second lamina is formed from a different pre-preg material than said first lamina. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The engine of claim 17, wherein said airfoil assembly comprises a plurality of laminae formed from pre-preg materials including said first lamina and said second lamina, and wherein a subset of laminae of said plurality of laminae are formed from pre-preg material comprising carbon fibers, said airfoil assembly further comprising metal threads extending into said subset of said plurality of laminae. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The engine of claim 18, wherein said metal threads extend into said subset of said plurality of laminae in a 2.5D configuration. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The engine of claim 18, wherein said metal threads extend into said subset of said plurality of laminae in a 3D configuration.