Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Cyanate ester”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

29 records · Page 2

Automated Fiber Placement Manufactured Composites for Science Applications

Science instruments with large collecting areas that maintain dimensional stability, such as James Webb Space Telescope and Wide Field Space Telescope, help achieve next generation science advancements. Composite materials often used for science applications include high modulus fibers in cyanate ester matrices to result in dimensionally stable structures with low contamination. Hand lay-up fabrication is the most common approach for science instrument structures. Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) using intermediate modulus fibers is commonplace in aircraft production reducing manufacturing time and increasing quality and consistency. AFP manufacturing for future large science instruments can similarly reduce costs and increase reliability. However, high modulus fibers are more prone to damage than intermediate modulus fibers. This study investigates the manufacturing viability of M55J/RS3C (Tencate) slit tape material using AFP processing. Tencate provides slit tape materials. NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) manufactured hand layup and AFP lay-up laminates under room temperature for initial trials, Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) manufactured AFP laminates under room temperature and elevated temperature conditions to evaluate processing affects. Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) tests and evaluates tension and Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) properties by hand lay-up and AFP slit tape automated manufacturing for large science applications. These results show processing material warm reduces process induced fiber fracture; leading to stiffness and CTE properties consistent with hand lay-up, while observing a slight degradation in tensile strength.

Segal, Kenneth N.↗

Computational Materials Techniques for Thermal Protection Solutions: Materials and Process Design

Integrated computational materials techniques that span the atomistic and continuum scales have the potential to aid the design and manufacturing of thermal protection materials. Two cases demonstrating the practical application of these methods are discussed. Case one examines the selection of a high temperature coating for carbon/carbon, with the target application being a solar thermal propulsion heat exchanger. The performance of various refractory metal and metal-carbide coatings is characterized considering extreme thermal (3500 K) and chemical (hydrogen flows) conditions. The recession rate, hydrogen leakage, and likelihood of mechanical failure are characterized and provide directions for further experimental investigation. Case two examines the process optimization of a heat shield material composed of a woven silica fiber preform and cyanate ester resin. Frequently, internal voids were found to be present in this composite after the resin infusion and curing stages of manufacturing. Using the manufacturing conditions, computations indicate that both water adsorption and resin cure shrinkage are contributing factors to void formation. The results suggest an alternative process configuration for curing that would mitigate voids.

thermal protection↗

Computational Materials Techniques for Thermal Protection Solutions: Materials and Process Design

Integrated computational materials techniques that span the atomistic and continuum scales have the potential to aid the design and manufacturing of thermal protection materials. Two cases demonstrating the practical application of these methods are discussed. Case one examines the selection of a high temperature coating for carbon/carbon, with the target application being a solar thermal propulsion heat exchanger. The performance of various refractory metal and metal-carbide coatings is characterized considering extreme thermal (3500 degrees Kelvin) and chemical (hydrogen flows) conditions. The recession rate, hydrogen leakage, and likelihood of mechanical failure are characterized and provide directions for further experimental investigation. Case two examines the process optimization of a heat shield material composed of a woven silica fiber preform and cyanate ester resin. Frequently, internal voids were found to be present in this composite after the resin infusion and curing stages of manufacturing. Using the manufacturing conditions, computations indicate that both water adsorption and resin cure shrinkage are contributing factors to void formation. The results suggest an alternative process configuration for curing that would mitigate voids.

Thermal Protection↗

Computational Materials Techniques for Thermal Protection Solutions: Materials and Process Design

Integrated computational materials techniques that span the atomistic and continuum scales have the potential to aid the design and manufacturing of thermal protection materials. Two cases demonstrating the practical application of these methods are discussed. Case one examines the selection of a high temperature coating for carbon/carbon, with the target application being a solar thermal propulsion heat exchanger. The performance of various refractory metal and metal-carbide coatings is characterized considering extreme thermal (3500 K) and chemical (hydrogen flows) conditions. The recession rate, hydrogen leakage, and likelihood of mechanical failure are characterized and provide directions for further experimental investigation. Case two examines the process optimization of a heat shield material composed of a woven silica fiber preform and cyanate ester resin. Frequently, internal voids were found to be present in this composite after the resin infusion and curing stages of manufacturing. Using the manufacturing conditions, computations indicate that both water adsorption and resin cure shrinkage are contributing factors to void formation. The results suggest an alternative process configuration for curing that would mitigate voids.

Haskins, Justin↗

Characterization of New TPS Resins

Ablative thermal protection systems are commonly used as protection from the intense heat during re-entry of a space vehicle and have been used successfully on many missions including Stardust and Mars Science Laboratory both of which used PICA a phenolic based ablator. Historically, phenolic resin has served as the ablative polymer for many TPS systems. However, it has limitations in both processing and properties such as char yield, glass transition temperature and char stability. Therefore alternative high performance polymers are being considered such as: cyanate ester resin, polyimide, polybenzoxazine (PBZ), and polyimidazole (PBI).Thermal and mechanical properties of these four resin systems were characterized and compared with phenolic resin.

Boghozian, T.↗

3D-MAT Multi-rate Thermal Expansion and Restrained Thermal Growth

In an effort to characterize 3D Multifunctional Ablative Thermal Protection System (3D-MAT), a quartz fiber / cyanate ester composite for NASA’s Orion Multipurpose Crew Vehicle, Southern Research carried out multiple test efforts. Southern Research evaluated the coefficient of free thermal expansion at multiple heating rates in the X, Y and Z directions. To further understand the results, we further evaluated the material via Restrained Thermal Growth (RTG) in the X direction. The RTG test series involved testing via multiple procedures, resulting in an iterative process and a final conclusion.

Jay D Feldman↗

Predicting Char Yield of High-Temperature Resins

A simulation protocol is developed to predict the char yield of organic resins during high-temperature processing. Such in silico methods can help screen promising new formulations for advanced materials, but previously no chemistry-sensitive technique existed to predict the important experimental value of char yield. The method utilizes a reactive force field (ReaxFF) to model the chemical transformation of precursor monomers into carbonized structures during three processing stages: ramp-up to processing temperatures (~3000 K), pyrolysis, and quenching. Achieving good agreement with experimental char yields requires continuous removal of small byproduct molecules to mimic outgassing, and the application of high pressure to eliminate porosity and encourage graphitization. More than ten different resin chemistries are investigated, including arylacetylenes, cyanate esters, phthalonitriles, and polyimides, representing a diverse group of precursors with respect to initial cyclic content, heteroatoms and reactive groups. The protocol correctly predicts the relative char yield between the investigated chemistries and provides quantitative agreement with experimental values, especially for high char yield resins. The properties of the resins during processing are compared, including outgassing products, morphology of the final chemical configurations, cyclic content and mechanical properties.

polymer simulations, molecular dynamics↗

Predicting Char Yield of High-Temperature Resins

A simulation technique has been developed for predicting the char yield of organic resins during high-temperature processing. In silico methods can aid in the screening of new advanced materials for a number of important properties, but no chemistry-sensitive protocol currently exists for predicting the important experimental value of char yield. The proposed method utilizes a reactive force field (ReaxFF) to model the chemical transformation of precursor monomers into carbonized structures during three processing stages: ramp-up to pyrolysis temperatures (~3000 K), pyrolysis, and quenching. Achieving good agreement with experimental char yields requires continuous removal of small by-product molecules to mimic outgassing, and the application of high pressure to encourage the formation of a dense, glassy network. Six different resin chemistries were investigated: an ethynyl, a phenylethynyl, a cyanate ester, a phthalonitrile, acrylonitrile, and adamantane. These candidates represent a diverse group of precursors with respect to initial cyclic content, presence of heteroatoms, and types of reactive groups. The protocol developed accurately predicts the relative char yield between the investigated chemistries and provides quantitative agreement with experimental values, especially for high char yield resins. Several simulated properties of the carbonized structures are compared with experimental results, including outgassing products, morphology of the final chemical configurations, cyclic content, and mechanical properties.

polymer simulations, molecular dynamics↗

Predicting Char Yield of High-Temperature Resins

A simulation protocol is developed to predict the char yield of organic resins during high-temperature processing. Simulation protocol in silico methods can help screen promising new formulations for advanced materials, but previously no chemistry-sensitive technique existed to predict the important experimental value of char yield. The method utilizes a reactive force field (ReaxFF) to model the chemical transformation of precursor monomers into carbonized structures during three processing stages: ramp-up to processing temperatures (~3000 K), pyrolysis, and quenching. Achieving good agreement with experimental char yields requires continuous removal of small byproduct molecules to mimic outgassing, and the application of high pressure to eliminate porosity and encourage graphitization. More than ten different resin chemistries are investigated, including arylacetylenes, cyanate esters, phthalonitriles, and polyimides, representing a diverse group of precursors with respect to initial cyclic content, heteroatoms and reactive groups. The protocol correctly predicts the relative char yield between the investigated chemistries and provides quantitative agreement with experimental values, especially for high char yield resins. The properties of the resins during processing are compared, including outgassing products, morphology of the final chemical configurations, cyclic content and mechanical properties.

polymer simulations, molecular dynamics↗

Synthesis of improved phenolic and polyester resins

Thirty-seven cured phenolic resin compositions were prepared and tested for their ability to provide improved char residues and moisture resistance over state of the art epoxy resin composite matrices. Cyanate, epoxy novolac and vinyl ester resins were investigated. Char promoter additives were found to increase the anaerobic char yield at 800 C of epoxy novolacs and vinyl esters. Moisture resistant cyanate and vinyl ester compositions were investigated as composite matrices with Thornel 300 graphite fiber. A cyanate composite matrix provided state of the art composite mechanical properties before and after humidity exposure and an anaerobic char yield of 46 percent at 800 C. The outstanding moisture resistance of the matrix was not completely realized in the composite. Vinyl ester resins showed promise as candidates for improved composite matrix systems.

Delano, C. B.↗