Z-pin for increasing delamination resistance
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorsEduardo SANTANA DE VEGA, Giuliano ALLEGRI, Stephen HALLETT, Ian HAMERTON, Bing ZHANG
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Abstract
A Z-pin for increasing a delamination resistance of continuous fibre-reinforced polymer composites, formed of a composite material including a polymer matrix, and a plurality of fibres embedded in the polymer matrix and aligned along the length direction of Z-pin, the fibres having an elongation at break of at least 2% and a tensile strength of at least 5 GPa, the polymer matrix having an elongation at break equal to or greater than the elongation at break of the fibres, and a tensile strength of at least 120 MPa.
Claims15
A Z-pin for increasing a delamination resistance of continuous fibre-reinforced polymer composites, the Z-pin being formed of a composite material including:
- a polymer matrix;
- and
- a plurality of fibres embedded in a polymer matrix and aligned along the length direction of Z-pin, the fibres having an elongation at break of at least 2% and a tensile strength of at least 5 GPa;
- wherein the polymer matrix has an elongation at break equal to or greater than the elongation at break of the fibres, and a tensile strength of at least 120 MPa.
A component formed of continuous fibre-reinforced polymer composite and including a plurality of Z-pins inserted in the continuous fibre-reinforced polymer composite for increasing its delamination resistance, the Z-pin being formed of a composite material including:
- a polymer matrix;
- and
- a plurality of fibres embedded in a polymer matrix and aligned along the length direction of Z-pin, the fibres having an elongation at break of at least 2% and a tensile strength of at least 5 GPa;
- wherein the polymer matrix has an elongation at break equal to or greater than the elongation at break of the fibres, and a tensile strength of at least 120 MPa.
A method of forming a component formed of continuous fibre-reinforced polymer composite and including a plurality of Z-pins inserted in the continuous fibre-reinforced polymer composite for increasing its delamination resistance, the Z-pin being formed of a composite material including:
- a polymer matrix;
- and
- a plurality of fibres embedded in a polymer matrix and aligned along the length direction of Z-pin, the fibres having an elongation at break of at least 2% and a tensile strength of at least 5 GPa;
- wherein the polymer matrix has an elongation at break equal to or greater than the elongation at break of the fibres, and a tensile strength of at least 120 MPa, the method including:
- providing laid up pre-preg layers;
- and
- inserting the Z-pins into the pre-preg layers such that the Z-pins extend across the planes of the layers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.