Graphene-augmented composite materials
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorKeith Daniel Humfeld
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Abstract
Composite materials are augmented with functionalized graphene having added amine groups, benzoxazine groups, imide groups, or a combination of amine groups and imide groups on a surface of the graphene, epoxide groups formed on at least one edge of the graphene and/or holes formed through the graphene. The functionalized graphene is integrated into a composite material as a supplement to or as a replacement for either the carbon reinforcement material or the resin matrix material to increase strength of the composite materials, and may be in the form of a functionalized graphene nanoplatelet, a flat graphene sheet or film, or a rolled or twisted graphene sheet or film.
Claims23
A composite material comprising carbon reinforcement fibers and a matrix material, the matrix material comprising 0.1% to 100% by weight functionalized graphene nanoplatelets having benzoxazine groups formed on a surface of the graphene nanoplatelets and epoxide groups formed on at least one edge of the graphene nanoplatelets.
A composite material comprising carbon reinforcement fibers and a matrix material, the matrix material comprising an aerospace-grade bismaleimide resin having 0.1% to 5.0% by weight functionalized grapheme nanoplatelets having imide groups formed on a surface of the graphene nanoplatelets, the grapheme nanoplatelets being present throughout the bismaleimide resin, and the bismaleimide resin is a macromolecular complex.
A method of increasing strength of a composite material comprising carbon reinforcement fibers and a resin matrix material, the method comprising:
- preparing functionalized graphene nanoplatelets having a chemical functionalization;
- mixing the functionalized graphene nanoplatelets into the resin matrix material to form a graphene-resin mixture;
- combining the graphene-resin mixture with a plurality of the carbon reinforcement fibers to form a prepreg material;
- and
- curing the prepreg material to form the composite material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.