Effects of Thermal Cycle and Ultraviolet Radiation on 3D Printed Carbon Fiber/Polyether Ether Ketone Ablator

Kei-Ichi Okuyama,Akito Morimitsu,Farhan Abdullah,Naofumi Yamagata

doi:10.3390/aerospace7070095

Kei-Ichi Okuyama, Akito Morimitsu + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace7070095

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Journal: Aerospace	Publication Date: Jul 8, 2020
Citations: 23	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Nihon University, Kyushu Institute of Technology

Abstract

The extreme heating environment during re-entry requires an efficient heat shield to protect a spacecraft. The current method of manufacturing a heat shield is labor intensive. The application of 3D printing can reduce cost and manufacturing time and improve the quality of a heat shield. A 3D printed carbon fiber/polyether ether ketone (CF/PEEK) composite was proposed as a heat shield material. The aim was to develop a heat shield and the structural member as a single structure while maintaining the necessary recession resistance. Test samples were exposed to thermal cycles and ultraviolet (UV) radiation environment. Subsequently, a tensile test was performed to evaluate the effect of thermal cycle and UV radiation on the mechanical properties. The sample’s recession performance and temperature behavior were evaluated using an arc heated wind tunnel. Exposure to thermal cycle and UV radiation have limited effect on the mechanical properties, recession behavior and temperature behavior of 3D CF/PEEK. Results from the arc heating test showed an expansion of the sample surface and better recession resistance than other existing ablator materials. Overall, 3D CF/PEEK has excellent recession resistance while maintaining mechanical properties when exposed to high temperature, thermal cycle and UV radiation.

Highlights

Spacecraft are exposed to an extreme heating environment when entering Earth or another planetary atmosphere
The 3D carbon fiber/polyether ether ketone (CF/PEEK) serves both as an ablative heat shield and as a structural member of the thermal protection system (TPS)
A new heat shield material made of 3D printed CF/PEEK was evaluated using tensile and arc heating test

Summary

Introduction

Spacecraft are exposed to an extreme heating environment when entering Earth or another planetary atmosphere. An efficient thermal protection system (TPS), hereafter referred to as a heat shield, must be used to minimize heat conducted into the spacecraft. A heat shield needs to have excellent specific strength, specific rigidity and high resistance to shear loads caused by aerodynamic loading to the surface [1]. Heat shields can be divided into reusable and ablative heat shields [2]. Composite ablative heat shield materials consist of a resin and reinforcing material such as carbon fiber. The ablative heat shield provides thermal protection through the process of ablation. The resin in the ablator undergoes pyrolysis reaction resulting in the release of pyrolysis gas and the carbonization of the resin while the carbon remains. A porous char layer is formed due to the carbonized resin

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