Method of producing light-weight high-strength stiff panels
AssigneeDunlop Limited
InventorsMaurice J. Evans, Sharon L. Faulkner, Ronald Fisher, Trevor C. Wells, Paul Hadlum
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Abstract
A method for the manufacture of a light-weight panel, e.g. for aircraft, comprising preparing a panel preform having a pair of surface members or skins separated and supported by an internal core in which spaces or interconnected pores provide vents to an edge of the panel, the wall surface members and the core comprising fibrous material, which may be carbon fiber, and using a pyrolysis process such as CVD to form a pyrolytic matrix around the fibers within the fibrous material, there being a flow of gas through the vents during the pyrolysis process.
Claims25
A method for manufacture of a rigidified and densified hollow panel suitable for use at high temperatures, said method comprising the steps of:
- selecting reinforcing fibers of a material which provides oxidation resistance at high temperatures;
- preparing from said reinforcing fibers a panel preform comprising wall surface members which are structurally interconnected and maintained spaced apart in a superimposed configuration by an intervening core structure, said core structure comprising a plurality of parallel longitudinal tubes arranged with their longitudinal axes parallel to said wall surface members, said tubes having longitudinal passages therethrough defining venting means for the substantially free flow of gas therethrough and the material of at least said tubes containing internal voids into which gas infiltrates from said venting means;
- forming a pyrolytic matrix within said internal voids by means of a chemical vapour deposition process, there being a flow of source gas into the panel through the venting means and diffusion of the said gas from the venting means into the internal voids within the tubes of the preform prior to deposition of the matrix material by pyrolysis of said infiltrated gas within the internal voids;
- and
- densifying the material of the preform by said deposition process to stiffen said preform panel and thereby form a lightweight panel.
A method for manufacture of a rigidified and densified hollow panel suitable for use at high temperatures, said method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a fibrous material for providing a reinforcement of carbon fibers;
- preparing from said fibrous material a panel preform comprising wall surface members which are structurally interconnected and maintained spaced apart in a superimposed configuration by an intervening core structure, said core structure comprising a plurality of parallel longitudinal tubes arranged with their longitudinal axes parallel to said wall surface members, said tubes having longitudinal passages therethrough defining venting means for the substantially free flow of gas therethrough and the fibrous material of at least said tubes containing internal voids into which gas infiltrates from said venting means;
- forming a pyrolytic matrix within said internal voids by means of a chemical vapour deposition process, there being a flow of source gas into the panel through the venting means and diffusion of the said gas from the venting means into the internal voids within the tubes of the preform prior to deposition of the matrix material by pyrolysis of said infiltrated gas within the internal voids;
- and
- densifying the material of the preform by said deposition process to stiffen said preform panel and thereby form a lightweight carbon-carbon composite panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.