Engineering topics

Hinkley, J. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Hinkley, J. A..

At least 19 records

NASA NTRS2009

Molecular Modeling for Calculation of Mechanical Properties of Epoxies with Moisture Ingress

Atomistic models of epoxy structures were built in order to assess the effect of crosslink degree, moisture content and temperature on the calculated properties of a typical representative generic epoxy. Each atomistic model had approximately 7000 atoms and was contained within a periodic boundary condition cell with edge lengths of about 4 nm. Four atomistic models were built with a range of crosslink degree and moisture content. Each of these structures was simulated at three temperatures: 300 K, 350 K, and 400 K. Elastic constants were calculated for these structures by monitoring the stress tensor as a function of applied strain deformations to the periodic boundary conditions. The mechanical properties showed reasonably consistent behavior with respect to these parameters. The moduli decreased with decreasing crosslink degree with increasing temperature. The moduli generally decreased with increasing moisture content, although this effect was not as consistent as that seen for temperature and crosslink degree.

Clancy, Thomas C.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Adhesion at Epoxy Interfaces

The effect of moisture on adhesives used in aerospace applications can be modeled with chemically specific techniques such as molecular dynamics simulation. In the present study, the surface energy and work of adhesion are calculated for epoxy surfaces and interfaces, respectively, by using molecular dynamics simulation. Modifications are made to current theory to calculate the work of adhesion at the epoxy-epoxy interface with and without water. Quantitative agreement with experimental values is obtained for the surface energy and work of adhesion at the interface without water. The work of adhesion agrees qualitatively with the experimental values for the interface with water: the magnitude is reduced 15% with respect to the value for the interface without water. A variation of 26% in the magnitude is observed depending on the water configuration at a concentration of 1.6 wt%. The methods and modifications to the method that are employed to obtain these values are expected to be applicable for other epoxy adhesives to determine the effects of moisture uptake on their work of adhesion.

Frankland, Sarah-Jane V.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Flammability of Epoxy Resins Containing Phosphorus

As part of a program to develop fire-resistant exterior composite structures for future subsonic commercial and general aviation aircraft, flame-retardant epoxy resins are under investigation. Epoxies and their curing agents (aromatic diamines) containing phosphorus were synthesized and used to prepare epoxy formulations. Phosphorus was incorporated within the backbone of the epoxy resin and not used as an additive. The resulting cured neat epoxy formulations were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, propane torch test, elemental analysis, microscale combustion calorimetry, and fire calorimetry. Several formulations showed excellent flame retardation with phosphorous contents as low as 1.5% by weight. The fracture toughness and compressive strength of several cured formulations showed no detrimental effect due to phosphorus content. The chemistry and properties of these new epoxy formulations are discussed.

Flammability studies↗

NASA NTRS1999

Molecular Modeling of the Poling of Piezoelectric Polyimides

The computational method described in this paper allows the calculation of the dielectric relaxation strength of an amorphous polymer based solely upon its chemical structure. The 4,4' oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) dianhydride and bis-aminophenoxybenzene (APB) diamine based polyimides, (beta-CN) APB-ODPA and APB-ODPA were studied. Amorphous cells were constructed and then poled using molecular dynamics. Dielectric relaxation strengths of Delta(epsilon) = 17.8 for (beta-CN) APB-ODPA and Delta(epsilon) = 7.7 for APB-ODPA were predicted. These values are in excellent agreement with the experimental values. It was found that both the pendant nitrile dipole and the backbone anhydride residue dipole make significant contributions to the polyimides dielectric response. Specifically, it was shown that the difference in the magnitude of the dielectric relaxations is directly attributable to the nitrile dipole. The size of the relaxations indicate an absence of cooperative dipolar motions, The model was used to explain these results in terms of the average orientation of the nitrile and anhydride dipoles to within 51 deg. and 63 deg., respectively, of the applied electric field.

Young, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Innovative Materials for Aircraft Morphing

Reported herein is an overview of the research being conducted within the Materials Division at NASA Langley Research Center on the development of smart material technologies for advanced airframe systems. The research is a part of the Aircraft Morphing Program which is a new six-year research program to develop smart components for self-adaptive airframe systems. The fundamental areas of materials research within the program are computational materials; advanced piezoelectric materials; advanced fiber optic sensing techniques; and fabrication of integrated composite structures. This paper presents a portion of the ongoing research in each of these areas of materials research.

Simpson, J. O.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Free Volume in Glassy Poly(arylene Ether Ketone)s

Amorphous polyarylene ether ketones were examined in the glassy state by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy ( PALS ) and in the melt by standard rheological techniques. Specimens were well-characterized fractions of two isomeric structures. PALS clearly shows that the polymer with meta linkages in its backbone contains larger voids (greater than 0.25 nm radius). Thus despite their similar bulk densities, the two materials must pack very differently on a local scale. On the other hand, the free volumes inferred from the WLF treatment of melt viscosity data are practically identical in both materials ca. 4% at T(sub g). The comparison between techniques sheds some light on the distribution of free volume.

Hinkley, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Effect of Pressure in Thermoplastic Ribbon Thermal Welding

An inexpensive apparatus was designed to simulate some features of on-the-fly thermal welding in heated-head tow placement. Previous studies have shown how ply/ply weld strength depends on weld time/temperature history. The apparatus has been modified recently to apply higher contact forces. Welding at pressures up to 1.7MPa (250psi) produced more consistent welds and fewer intra-ply voids, This has permitted a study of the conditions required for achieving the limiting ply/ply cohesive strength in simulated tow placement of a polyimide oligomer.

Hinkley, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Characterization of damage modes in impacted thermoset and thermoplastic composites

Composite materials remain extremely vulnerable to out-of-plane impact loads, which may lead to severe losses in strength and stiffness. Impact induced damage is often a complex mixture of transverse cracks, delaminations and fiber failures. An experimental investigation was undertaken to quantify damage tolerance and resistance in composite materials impacted using the drop-weight method. Tests were conducted on laminates of several different carbon-fiber composite systems such as epoxies, modified epoxies, and amorphous and semicrystalline thermoplastics. In this paper, impacted composite specimens have been examined using destructive and nondestructive techniques to establish the characteristic damage states. Specifically, optical microscopy, ultrasonic and scanning electron microscopy techniques have been used to identify impact induced damage mechanisms. Damage propagation during post impact compression was also studied.

Srinivasan, K.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Delamination behavior of quasi-isotropic graphite epoxy laminates subjected to tension and torsion loads

Sixteen and thirty-two ply quasi-isotropic laminates fabricated from AS4/3501-6 were subjected to pure tension, simultaneous tension and torsion, and torsion fatigue. Layups tested were (45 sub n/-45 sub n/O sub n/90 sub n) sub s, with n = 2 or 4. A torsion damage pattern consisting of a localized matrix crack and delaminations was characterized, and the measured torsional stiffnesses were compared with calculated values. It was found that a combination of tension and torsion led to failure at smaller loads than either type of deformation acting alone. Further work is required to determine the exact form of the failure criterion.

Hinkley, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Fiber/matrix adhesion in graphite/PEKK composites

Experiments with poly ether ketone ketone (PEKK) resin and AS-4, IM-7, and G30-500 fibers showed excellent correlation between resin/fiber contact angle and composite transverse flexural strength as measures of resin/fiber interfacial strength. Both tests indicate the strongest interface for G30-500/PEKK followed by IM-7/PEKK and AS-4/PEKK. Also discussed are fiber effects on interlaminar fracture and on the in situ crystallization of the matrix during composite fabrication.

Bucher, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Properties of powder-impregnated graphite/PEKK

Poly Ether Ketone Ketone (PEKK) powders were prepregged on AS4 (12K), IM7 (12K), and G30-500 (12K) carbon fibers and consolidated into unidirectional laminates. The preferred formulation of PEKK for the dry powder process was identified. Mechanical test data on panels prepared via the powder process agreed well with flex, short beam shear, and double cantilever beam values obtained previously on melt-impregnated material. IM7/PEKK composites showed superior mechanical properties to AS4/PEKK and G30-500/PEKK composites. Transverse flexural strength and fiber/resin contact angle correlated well as measures of the fiber/matrix interfacial strength.

Bucher, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Response of composite materials to low velocity impact

Orthotropic and quasiisotropic laminates clamped at the edges were impacted by an instrumented falling weight. Five matrix materials, comprising a baseline epoxy, two toughened thermosets, and amorphous and crystalline thermoplastics were studied. For each material, the projected damage area and residual compression strengths and strains were determined as a function of impact energy. Principal conclusions are: (1) incipient damage associated with a prominent load drop during the impact test seems to be decisive for residual properties; (2) subtle rate effects are present with some materials; and (3) results from the small scale tests parallel those in standard tests and may be adequate for screening purposes.

Srinivasan, K.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Response of composite materials to low velocity impact

Orthotropic and quasi-isotropic laminates clamped at the edges were impacted by an instrumented falling weight. Five matrix materials, comprising a baseline epoxy, two toughened thermosets, and amorphous and crystalline thermoplastics were studied. For each material, the projected damage area and residual compression strengths and strains were determined as a function of impact energy. Principal conclusions are: (1) incipient damage associated with a prominent load drop during the impact test seems to be decisive for residual properties; (2) subtle rate effects are present with some materials; and (3) results from the small scale tests parallel those in standard tests and may be adequate for screening purposes.

Srinivasan, K.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Delamination behavior of quasi-isotropic graphite epoxy laminates subjected to tension and torsion loads

Sixteen and thirty-two ply quasi-isotropic laminates fabricated from AS4/3501-6 were subjected to pure tension, simultaneous tension and torsion, and torsion fatigue. Layups tested were (45 sub n/-45 sub n/0 sub n/90 sub n) sub s, with n = 2 or 4. A torsion damage pattern consisting of a localized matrix crack and delaminations was characterized, and the measured torsional stiffnesses were compared with calculated values. It was found that a combination of tension and torsion led to failure at smaller loads than either type of deformation acting alone. Further work is required to determine the exact form of the failure criterion.

Hinkley, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Interface effects in interlaminar fracture of thermoplastic composites

Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness was determined on a series of unidirectional poly(phenylene oxide)/carbon fiber composites using the double cantilever beam test. Initial toughness for growth of a delamination from an insert depends on fiber type, and ranges from 190 to 440 J/sq m, with intermediate modulus fibers tending to give lower values than high-strain fibers. Low toughness values are attributed to poor fiber-matrix adhesion. As a delamination progress down the beam, fiber bridging increases the apparent toughness by up to a factor of 7, depending on the fiber.

Hinkley, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Interlaminar fracture in carbon fiber/thermoplastic composites

The surfaces of commercial carbon fibers are generally chemically cleaned or oxidized and then coated with an oligomeric sizing to optimize their adhesion to epoxy matrix resins. Evidence from fractography, from embedded fiber testing and from fracture energies suggests that these standard treatments are relatively ineffective for thermoplastic matrices. This evidence is reviewed and model thermoplastic composites (polyphenylene oxide/high strain carbon fibers) are used to demonstrate how differences in adhesion can lead to a twofold change in interlaminar fracture toughness. The potential for improved adhesion via plasma modification of fiber surfaces is discussed. Finally, a surprising case of fiber-catalyzed resin degradation is described.

Hinkley, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Fracture toughness of polyimide films

Two aromatic polyimides and an aromatic polyamide-imide were tested in single edge notched tension. Fracture toughnesses, normalized to 25 micron film thickness ranged from 1.65 to 5.4 MPa m sup 1/2. LARC-TPI, a thermoplastic polyimide, showed evidence of crazing ahead of a growing crack whereas the other materials formed a shear yielded zone.

Hinkley, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Interlaminar fracture toughness of thermoplastic composites

Edge delamination tension and double cantilever beam tests were used to characterize the interlaminar fracture toughness of continuous graphite-fiber composites made from experimental thermoplastic polyimides and a model thermoplastic. Residual thermal stresses, known to be significant in materials processed at high temperatures, were included in the edge delamination calculations. In the model thermoplastic system (polycarbonate matrix), surface properties of the graphite fiber were shown to be significant. Critical strain energy release rates for two different fibers having similar nominal tensile properties differed by 30 to 60 percent. The reason for the difference is not clear. Interlaminar toughness values for the thermoplastic polyimide composites (LARC-TPI and polyimidesulfone) were 3 to 4 in-lb/sq in. Scanning electron micrographs of the EDT fracture surfaces suggest poor fiber/matrix bonding. Residual thermal stresses account for up to 32 percent of the strain energy release in composites made from these high-temperature resins.

Hinkley, J. A.↗