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At least 343 records · Page 19

Effects of thermal and environmental exposure on the mechanical properties of graphite/polyimide composites

Composites were exposed in circulating and static air environments up to 589 K for a maximum of 1000 hours. Composites of HT-S, HM-S, Thornel 50S, and Fortafil 5-Y fiber and a new addition type polyimide resin were laminated in a matched-die mold. Flexural strengths, flexural modulus, and interlaminar shear strengths were determined at 297, 533, and 598 K after various durations of exposure. Composite and fiber weight loss characteristics were determined by isothermal gravimetric analysis in air. Properties of composites exposed and tested at the environment temperatures were compared with those determined under short-term exposure. A new short beam interlaminar shear fixture is described. Environmental effects of long-term ambient temperature exposure on the elevated temperature mechanical properties of graphite/polyimide composites are presented.

Hanson, M. P.↗

An experimental study of the mechanism of failure of rocks under borehole jack loading

Laboratory and field tests with an experimental jack and an NX-borehole jack are reported. The following conclusions were made: Under borehole jack loading, a circular opening in a brittle solid fails by tensile fracturing when the bearing plate width is not too small. Two proposed contact stress distributions can explain the mechanism of tensile fracturing. The contact stress distribution factor is a material property which can be determined experimentally. The borehole tensile strength is larger than the rupture flexural strength. Knowing the magnitude and orientation of the in situ stress field, borehole jack test results can be used to determine the borehole tensile strength. Knowing the orientation of the in situ stress field and the flexural strength of the rock substance, the magnitude of the in situ stress components can be calculated. The detection of very small cracks is essential for the accurate determination of the failure loads which are used in the calculation of strengths and stress components.

Van, T. K.↗

Effects of thermal and environmental exposure on the mechanical properties of graphite/polyimide composites.

Composites were exposed in circulating and static air environments up to 600 F for a maximum of 1000 hours. Composites of HT-S, HM-S, Thornel 50S, and Fortafil 5-Y fiber and a new addition type polyimide resin were laminated in a matched-die mold. Flexural strength, flexural modulus, and interlaminar shear strengths were determined at 75, 500 and 600 F after various durations of exposure. Composite and fiber weight loss characteristics were determined by isothermal gravimetric analysis in air. Properties of composites exposed and tested at the environment temperatures are compared with those determined under short-term exposure. A new short beam interlaminar shear fixture is described. Environmental effects of long-term (up to one year) ambient temperature exposure on the elevated temperature mechanical properties of graphite/polyimide composites are presented.

Hanson, M. P.↗

Free in-plane vibration of circular arches.

Numerical data are presented for the natural frequencies and modes of vibration of hinged and fixed, uniform, circular arches vibrating in their own plane, and the effects of the various parameters affecting the response are analyzed. It is shown that the vibrational modes may be almost purely flexural, or almost purely extensional, or the extensional and flexural actions may be strongly coupled. The conditions of occurrence of each type of behavior are defined, and simple approximate formulas are derived; using these formulas, the free vibrational characteristics of arches may be estimated to a satisfactory degree of accuracy for most practical applications. The approach used to derive the approximate formulas may also be applied to arches having other boundary conditions, shapes, or distributions of stiffness and mass.

Veletsos, A. S.↗

Mechanical component screening for scanner

The critical mechanical components of the scan mirror mechanism are described and their evaluation and screening procedures are discussed. A bumper/damper unit is used in the design to reverse motion of the mirror and effect scan and retrace cycles. A wear evaluation was conducted on the bumper impact surfaces that established nylon 6-10 as an acceptable material. The elastomeric dampers were subjected to thermal vacuum tests for condensables and outgassing as well as parametric life tests. The flexure pivots that support the mirror were tested to establish a curve of stress plotted as a function of cycles to failure for rotational operation. The pivots met the life requirement of 150,000,000 cycles at a + or - 2.9 deg amplitude during fatigue testing. Screening procedures were established for dampers and flexure pivots to obtain flight quality components.

Olson, J. L.↗

Development of polyphenylquinoxaline graphite composites

The potential of polyphenylquinoxaline (PPQ)/graphite composites to serve as structural material at 316 C (600 F)has been demonstrated using a block copolymer, BlCo(13), PPQ derivative. Initially, thirteen polyphenylquinoxalines were evaluated. From this work, four candidate polymers were selected for preliminary evaluation as matrices for HMS graphite fiber reinforced composites. The preliminary composite evaluation enabled selection of one of the four polymers for advanced composite preparation and testing. Using an experimentally established cure schedule for each of the four polymers, preliminary laminates of 50% resin volume content, prepared without postcure, were tested for flexure strength and modulus, interlaminar shear strength (short beam), and tensile strength and modulus at ambient temperature. A block copolymer (Bl Co 13) derived from one mole p-bis (phenylglyoxalyl) benzene, one fourth mole 3,3'-diaminobenzidine and three-fourths mole 3,3', 4,4'-tetraminobenzophenone was selected for extensive study. Tensile, flexural, and interlaminar shear values were obtained after aging and testing postcured BlCo(13) laminates at 316 C (600 F). The potential of PPQ/graphite laminates to serve as short term structural materials at temperatures up to 371 C (700 F) was demonstrated through weight loss experiments.

Hoggatt, J. T.↗

Device for monitoring a change in mass in varying gravimetric environments

A remotely operable device for detecting changes as they occur in the mass of a selected specimen is described. The device is characterized by a balance beam including at one end a support for receiving a specimen having a changing mass and suspension means, including a flexure, supporting the beam near its center of gravity for pivotal movement proportional to changes occurring in the mass of the specimen. Strain gages coupled with the flexure provide a read-out indicative of the pivotal movement imparted to the beam.

Valinsky, J. P.↗

Development of high temperature resistant graphite fiber coupling agents

Surface treatments were investigated as potential coupling agents to improve the elevated temperature shear strength retention of polyimide/graphite and polyphenylquinoxaline/graphite composites. The potential coupling agents were evaluated by fiber strand tensile tests, fiber and composite weight losses at 533 and 588K, and by interlaminar shear strength retention at 533 and 588K. The two surface treatments selected for more extensive evaluation were a coating of Ventromer T-1, a complex organometallic reaction product of titanium tetrachloride and trimethyl borate, and a polyphenylquinoxaline (PPQ) sizing which was pyrolyzed in nitrogen to form a carbonaceous layer on the fiber. Pyrolyzed polyphenylquinoxaline is a satisfactory coupling agent for polyimide/Thornel 300 graphite fiber composites. During 1000 hours aging at 588K such composites lose a little over half their transverse tensile strength, and suffer a slight loss in flexural modulus. No degradation of flexural strength or interlaminar shear strength occured during 1000 hours aging at 588K. None of the coupling agents examined had a markedly beneficial effect with polyphenylquinoxaline composites.

Griffin, R. N.↗

Time-temperature-stress dependence of boron fiber deformation

The time-dependent deformation of boron fibers over the temperature range from -190 to 800 C is studied by flexural stress relaxation and flexural internal friction techniques on 203-micron diam specimen fibers commercially produced by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on a 13-micron tungsten substrate. It is shown that up to at least 800 C all nonelastic behavior observed during axial deformation of CVD boron fibers can be explained solely by anelastic mechanisms and that although creep strains are small, boron fiber anelasticity can produce significant mechanical effects which would otherwise be neglected under the elastic approximation. Relations are obtained to demonstrate the considerable effects of anelasticity on such fiber/composite properties as modulus, creep, creep recovery, stress relaxation, and damping capacity. For an elastic-core/anelastic-sheath model, boron fibers on tungsten substrates are shown to have predictable fracture stresses for time-temperature conditions ranging from impact to long-time stress rupture. Possible techniques for altering these stresses are discussed.

Dicarlo, J. A.↗

Wave propagation in fiber composite laminates, part 2

An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the wave propagation characteristics, transient strains and residual properties in unidirectional and angle-ply boron/epoxy and graphite/epoxy laminates impacted with silicone rubber projectiles at velocities up to 250 MS-1. The predominant wave is flexural, propagating at different velocities in different directions. In general, measured wave velocities were higher than theoretically predicted values. The amplitude of the in-plane wave is less than ten percent of that of the flexural wave. Peak strains and strain rates in the transverse to the (outer) fiber direction are much higher than those in the direction of the fibers. The dynamics of impact were also studied with high speed photography.

Daniel, I. M.↗

PMR polyimide/graphite fiber composite fan blades

Ultrahigh speed fan blades, designed in accordance with the requirements of an ultrahigh tip speed blade axial flow compressor, were fabricated from a high strength graphite fiber tow and a PMR polyimide resin. The PMR matrix was prepared by combining three monomeric reactants in methyl alcohol, and the solution was applied directly to the reinforcing fiber for subsequent in situ polymerization. Some of the molded blades were completely finished by secondary bonding of root pressure pads and an electroformed nickel leading edge sheath prior to final machining. The results of the spin testing of nine PMR fan blades are given. Prior to blade fabrication, heat resin tensile properties of the PMR resin were examined at four formulated molecular weight levels. Additionally, three formulated molecular weight levels were investigated in composite form with both a high modulus and a high strength fiber, both as-molded and postcured, in room temperature and 232 C transverse tensile, flexure and short beam shear. Mixed fiber orientation panels simulating potential blade constructions were also evaluated. Flexure tests, short beam shear tests, and tensile tests were conducted on these angle-plied laminates.

Cavano, P. J.↗

Analysis of a suspension system for a wheel rolling on a flat track

A flexure strut wheel suspension system is described which keeps a wheel flat against the track and maintains a small interface moment. Equations are presented for the evaluation of this moment. A comparison of the flexure strut system is made with a rigid link design containing pivot bearings.

Mcginness, H.↗

Mechanical and physical properties of modern boron fibers

Measurements of the Young's modulus, flexural modulus, shear modulus and Poisson's ratio for boron fibers prepared by modern deposition techniques are reported. Physical properties of the boron fibers, including density, thermal expansion and resistance, are also surveyed. In addition, prediction of the total deformation strain in an anelastic boron fiber subjected to tensile or flexural stress is discussed.

Dicarlo, J. A.↗

Measurement of the time-temperature dependent dynamic mechanical properties of boron/aluminum composites

A relatively simple flexural vibration test is developed for accurate measurement of the low-strain dynamic modulus and damping capacity of B/Al composite bar specimens from -200 C to over 500 C. The specimens are prepared from 8-ply unidirectional panels containing 50 volume percent fibers composed of 203-micron commercial boron-on-tungsten fibers. The basic test technique consists of the forced flexural vibration of the composite bar specimens at their two lowest free-free symmetrical resonant modes in a high-vacuum cryostat furnace. Specimen damping is determined from oscilloscope photographs of the free decay obtained after simultaneously removing the resonant drive signal and grounding the vibration-drive electrode. The availability of time-temperature dynamic data coupled with the predictive accuracy of composite theory suggests a future potential for using such data in examining environmental effects on composite macrostructure and microstructure.

Dicarlo, J. A.↗

A method for determining structural properties of RCC thermal protection material

A method was developed for evaluation and prediction of effects of oxidation of the graphitic substrate on structural properties of Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) thermal protection material. Test specimens of RCC material were exposed to successive periods of convective heating in a plasma-jet facility to simulate the chemical reactions of Shuttle atmospheric entry. After each period of testing, the test specimen mass loss and performance in a nondestructive flexure test were determined. A computational model of the RCC specimen was developed for the NASA Structural Analysis (NASTRAN) program and validated by comparison of calculated and experimental results of flexure tests. The elastic moduli and ultimate loads in tension and compression were then computed for various levels of substrate oxidation.

Wakefield, R. M.↗

Research on graphite reinforced glass matrix composites

A composite that can be used at temperatures up to 875 K with mechanical properties equal or superior to graphite fiber reinforced epoxy composites is presented. The composite system consist of graphite fiber, uniaxially or biaxially, reinforced borosilicate glass. The mechanical and thermal properties of such a graphite fiber reinforced glass composite are described, and the system is shown to offer promise as a high performance structural material. Specific properties that were measured were: a modified borosilicate glass uniaxially reinforced by Hercules HMS graphite fiber has a three-point flexural strength of 1030 MPa, a four-point flexural strength of 964 MPa, an elastic modulus of 199 GPa and a failure strain of 0.0052. The preparation and properties of similar composites with Hercules HTS, Celanese DG-102, Thornel 300 and Thornel Pitch graphite fibers are also described.

Bacon, J. F.↗

Feasibility of Kevlar 49/PMR-15 Polyimide for High Temperature Applications

Kevlar 49 aramid organic fiber reinforced PMR-15 polyimide laminates were characterized to determine the applicability of the material to high temperature aerospace structures. Kevlar 49/3501-6 epoxy laminates were fabricated and characterized for comparison with the Kevlar 49/PMR-15 polyimide material. Flexural strengths and moduli and interlaminar shear strengths were determined from 75 F to 600 F for the PMR-15 and from 75 F to 450 F for the Kevlar/3501-6 epoxy material. The effects of hydrothermal and long-term elevated temperature exposures on the flexural strengths and moduli and the interlaminar shear strengths were also studied.

Hanson, M. P.↗

Coatings for graphite fibers

Graphite fibers released from composites during burning or an explosion caused shorting of electrical and electronic equipment. Silicon carbide, silica, silicon nitride and boron nitride were coated on graphite fibers to increase their electrical resistances. Resistances as high as three orders of magnitude higher than uncoated fiber were attained without any significant degradation of the substrate fiber. An organo-silicone approach to produce coated fibers with high electrical resistance was also used. Celion 6000 graphite fibers were coated with an organo-silicone compound, followed by hydrolysis and pyrolysis of the coating to a silica-like material. The shear and flexural strengths of composites made from high electrically resistant fibers were considerably lower than the shear and flexural strengths of composites made from the lower electrically resistant fibers. The lower shear strengths of the composites indicated that the coatings on these fibers were weaker than the coating on the fibers which were pyrolyzed at higher temperature.

Galasso, F. S.↗