Forming of staged thermoset composite materials

摘要

A method of forming a composite article may include initially curing a composite laminate at an initial temperature to an initial cure stage of 30-50 percent of full cure and beyond a gel point to form an initially-cured composite laminate. The method may initially include heating the initially-cured composite laminate to an intermediate temperature higher than the initial temperature and above a resin glass transition temperature. In addition, the method may include intermediately curing the composite laminate to an intermediate cure stage of 50-70 percent of full cure while on a final forming tool to form an intermediately-cured composite laminate. Furthermore, the method may include removing the intermediately-cured composite laminate from the final forming tool, and finally curing the intermediately-cured composite laminate at a final temperature higher than the intermediate temperature to a final cure stage.

主权项

1. A method of forming a composite article, comprising:
initially curing a composite laminate at an initial temperature to an initial cure stage of 30-50 percent of full cure and beyond a gel point to form an initially-cured composite laminate; heating the initially-cured composite laminate to an intermediate temperature higher than the initial temperature and above a resin glass transition temperature; intermediately curing the composite laminate to an intermediate cure stage of 50-70 percent of full cure while on a final forming tool to form an intermediately-cured composite laminate; removing the intermediately-cured composite laminate from the final forming tool; and finally curing the intermediately-cured composite laminate at a final temperature higher than the intermediate temperature to a final cure stage.