Fabricating crosslinked polyimide high temperature composites and resins

Abstract

A polyimide resin or composite may be pretreated by heating a reaction mixture that initially includes an aromatic diamine monomer, an end cap monomer, and an aromatic dianhydride monomer to a temperature between about 250.degree. C. and about 300.degree. C. for a period sufficient to completely imidize the reaction mixture to an imide resin without substantial crosslinking. A crosslinked reinforced polyimide composite article may be fabricated by heating a plurality of prepregs to a first temperature between about 250.degree. C. and about 300.degree. C. for a first period sufficient to completely imidize the prepreg without substantial crosslinking. Each prepreg has a plurality of reinforcing fibers and a reaction mixture. The prepregs are stacked in a desired orientation to form a laminated structure before or after heating to the first temperature and further heated at a superatmospheric pressure to a second temperature for a second period to form a crosslinked reinforced polyimide composite article by consolidating the prepregs and crosslinking the imide resin in the prepreg.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.