PLATFORM: Study of the integration of materials manufactured with CNTs in current processes of manufacture by infusion in aeronautics

Abstract

The need to improve non-intrinsic properties of composite materials is a fact that leads to studies such as the one carried out in this project, where the possibility of integrating new materials development into common materials is analyzed to provide them with an improved properties: mechanical or electric. The main objective of the project is to analyze the possibility of introducing the new materials into the current manufacturing processes, improving the properties of the raw material (dry carbon fiber fabric infused with monocomponent epoxy resin), under aeronautical requirements. Two material developments are made with carbon nanotubes in two different formats: buckypapers and thermoplastic doped veils. The implementation of each materials has been studied in current infusion processes, more concretely manufacturing processes by RTM (Resin Transfer Molding). The studied possibilities are: buckypapers incorporated in dry preforms, for their subsequent infusion and doped veils embedded in dry preforms, for their subsequent infusion. The obtained results at this moment (2nd year of the project) are satisfactory, although it´s necessary to optimize the materials to improve the automation of the manufacturing process and achieve a greater improvement of properties.