SHAPE MEMORY POLYMER (SMP) FLOW MEDIA FOR RESIN INFUSION

摘要

A system and method of vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) using a reconfigurable material, such as shape memory polymer (SMP), for a caul sheet or a forming tool. The reconfigurable material may have a rough or non-smooth, deformed configuration to serve as a flow media during resin transfer, but may be triggered to return to a smooth memory shape at composite cure temperatures at least high enough to place the reconfigurable material into a malleable state. Thus, a surface of the composite material facing the reconfigurable material will have a substantially smooth finish following curing thereof. The rough or non-smooth deformed configuration may be created by embossing or otherwise forming various patterns into the reconfigurable material in the malleable state, and holding this pattern while triggering the reconfigurable material back to a rigid state for use during resin transfer.

主权项

1. A method of vacuum assisted resin transfer molding, the method comprising:
assembling a substantially air-tight chamber around an uncured composite material, the substantially air-tight chamber having at least one impermeable membrane, at least one reconfigurable part in a rigid state, a resin inlet, and a vacuum outlet, wherein the at least one reconfigurable part has at least one surface in a non-smooth, deformed configuration placed against at least one surface of the composite material; pulling resin from the resin inlet into the substantially air-tight chamber via the vacuum outlet; and curing the composite material at a cure temperature sufficient to trigger the reconfigurable part into a malleable state, wherein the at least one surface of the reconfigurable part is configured to automatically return from the non-smooth, deformed configuration to a smooth configuration when triggered to the malleable state.