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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.

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At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1979

Fracture modes and acoustic emission of composite materials

Unidirectional fibrous composite material laminae are the construction material of a laminate. Four failure modes can occur in this material, and the identification of these modes is as important as the identification of onset of fracture. Acoustic emission (AE) pulses, generated by the change in the stress field resulting from cracking in a material, have a unique pattern of amplitude distribution that depends only on the mode of fracture and the type of material. By using a tapered double-cantilever beam as grips for the unidirectional lamina, a crack with a constant stress intensity factor was induced, thus eliminating the factor of the stress level. Placing the lamina in different directions relative to the grips imposed a different failure mode. By plotting the log of the relative number of AE pulses above some level versus the log of the relative level, a single constant coefficient can be measured for each material and mode of fracture. The AE energy is proportional to the energy released by the cracking; this proportionality depends on the medium where the AE waves have to travel, and not on the cracking mode.

Rotem, A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Impact of solids on composite materials

The failure modes of composite materials as a result of low velocity impact were investigated by simulating the impact with a finite element analysis. An important facet of the project is the modeling of the impact of a solid onto cylindrical shells composed of composite materials. The model under development will simulate the delamination sustained when a composite material encounters impact from another rigid body. The computer equipment was installed, the computer network tested, and a finite element method model was developed to compare results with known experimental data. The model simulated the impact of a steel rod onto a rotating shaft. Pre-processing programs (GMESH and TANVEL) were developed to generate node and element data for the input into the three dimensional, dynamic finite element analysis code (DYNA3D). The finite element mesh was configured with a fine mesh near the impact zone and a coarser mesh for the impacting rod and the regions surrounding the impacting zone. For the computer simulation, five impacting loads were used to determine the time history of the stresses, the scribed surface areas, and the amount of ridging. The processing time of the computer codes amounted from 1 to 4 days. The calculated surface area were within 6-12 percent, relative error when compated to the actual scratch area.

Bronson, Arturo↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Composite Materials for Space Habitats

Composite materials are an appealing choice for space habitats to reduce weight while maintaining strength and dimensional stability that is required in these sorts of structures. These materials can provide some shielding from the radiation that is present in the natural space environment; however, they can become damaged in the process. Damage is measured here using open-hole tension testing. This study quantifies the mechanical impact of a 10-year Lunar surface mission on a selection of composite materials.

Structures↗
NASA NTRS1974

Composite materials. Volume 3 - Engineering applications of composites. Volume 4 - Metallic matrix composites. Volume 8 - Structural design and analysis, Part 2

This volume discusses a vaety of applications of both low- and high-cost composite materials in a number of selected engineering fields. The text stresses the use of fiber-reinforced composites, along with interesting material systems used in the electrical and nuclear industries. As to technology transfer, a similarity is noted between many of the reasons responsible for the utilization of composites and those problems requiring urgent solution, such as mechanized fabrication processes and design for production. Features topics include road transportation, rail transportation, civil aircraft, space vehicles, builing industry, chemical plants, and appliances and equipment. The laminate orientation code devised by Air Force materials laboratory is included. Individual items are announced in this issue.

Noton, B. R.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Flexible composite material with phase change thermal storage

A highly flexible composite material having a flexible matrix containing a phase change thermal storage material. The composite material can be made to heat or cool the body or to act as a thermal buffer to protect the wearer from changing environmental conditions. The composite may also include an external thermal insulation layer and/or an internal thermal control layer to regulate the rate of heat exchange between the composite and the skin of the wearer. Other embodiments of the PCM composite also provide 1) a path for evaporation or direct absorption of perspiration from the skin of the wearer for improved comfort and thermal control, 2) heat conductive pathways within the material for thermal equalization, 3) surface treatments for improved absorption or rejection of heat by the material, and 4) means for quickly regenerating the thermal storage capacity for reuse of the material. Applications of the composite materials are also described which take advantage of the composite's thermal characteristics. The examples described include a diver's wet suit, ski boot liners, thermal socks, gloves and a face mask for cold weather activities, and a metabolic heating or cooling blanket useful for treating hypothermia or fever patients in a medical setting and therapeutic heating or cooling orthopedic joint supports.

Buckley, Theresa M.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Flexible composite material with phase change thermal storage

A highly flexible composite material having a flexible matrix containing a phase change thermal storage material. The composite material can be made to heat or cool the body or to act as a thermal buffer to protect the wearer from changing environmental conditions. The composite may also include an external thermal insulation layer and/or an internal thermal control layer to regulate the rate of heat exchange between the composite and the skin of the wearer. Other embodiments of the PCM composite also provide 1) a path for evaporation or direct absorption of perspiration from the skin of the wearer for improved comfort and thermal control, 2) heat conductive pathways within the material for thermal equalization, 3) surface treatments for improved absorption or rejection of heat by the material, and 4) means for quickly regenerating the thermal storage capacity for reuse of the material. Applications of the composite materials are also described which take advantage of the composite's thermal characteristics. The examples described include a diver's wet suit, ski boot liners, thermal socks, ,gloves and a face mask for cold weather activities, and a metabolic heating or cooling blanket useful for treating hypothermia or fever patients in a medical setting and therapeutic heating or cooling orthopedic joint supports.

Buckley, Theresa M.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Optimal experimental designs for the estimation of thermal properties of composite materials

Reliable estimation of thermal properties is extremely important in the utilization of new advanced materials, such as composite materials. The accuracy of these estimates can be increased if the experiments are designed carefully. The objectives of this study are to design optimal experiments to be used in the prediction of these thermal properties and to then utilize these designs in the development of an estimation procedure to determine the effective thermal properties (thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity). The experiments were optimized by choosing experimental parameters that maximize the temperature derivatives with respect to all of the unknown thermal properties. This procedure has the effect of minimizing the confidence intervals of the resulting thermal property estimates. Both one-dimensional and two-dimensional experimental designs were optimized. A heat flux boundary condition is required in both analyses for the simultaneous estimation of the thermal properties. For the one-dimensional experiment, the parameters optimized were the heating time of the applied heat flux, the temperature sensor location, and the experimental time. In addition to these parameters, the optimal location of the heat flux was also determined for the two-dimensional experiments. Utilizing the optimal one-dimensional experiment, the effective thermal conductivity perpendicular to the fibers and the effective volumetric heat capacity were then estimated for an IM7-Bismaleimide composite material. The estimation procedure used is based on the minimization of a least squares function which incorporates both calculated and measured temperatures and allows for the parameters to be estimated simultaneously.

Scott, Elaine P.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Offgassing test methodology for composite materials

A significant increase in the use of composite materials has occurred during the past 20 years. Associated with this increased use is the potential for employees to be exposed to offgassing components from composite systems. Various components in composite systems, particularly residual solvents, offgas under various conditions. The potential for offgassing to occur increases as a composite material is heated either during cure or during lay-up operations. Various techniques can be employed to evaluate the offgassing characteristics of a composite system. A joint effort between AIA and SACMA resulted in the drafting of a proposed test method for evaluating the offgassing potential of composite materials. The purpose of testing composite materials for offgassing is to provide the industrial hygienist with information which can be used to assess the safety of the workplace. This paper outlines the proposed test method and presents round robin testing data associated with the test method. Also in this presentation is a discussion of classes of compounds which require specialized sampling techniques.

Scheer, Dale A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Composite materials: Testing and design

The present conference discusses topics in the analysis of composite structures, composite materials' impact and compression behavior, composite materials characterization methods, composite failure mechanisms, NDE methods for composites, and filament-wound and woven composite materials' fabrication. Attention is given to the automated design of a composite plate for damage tolerance, the effects of adhesive layers on composite laminate impact damage, instability-related delamination growth in thermoset and thermoplastic composites, a simple shear fatigue test for unidirectional E-glass epoxy, the growth of elliptic delaminations in laminates under cyclic transverse shear, and the mechanical behavior of braided composite materials.

Whitcomb, John D.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Modeling the Mechanical Behavior of Ceramic Matrix Composite Materials

Ceramic matrix composites are ceramic materials, such as SiC, that have been reinforced by high strength fibers, such as carbon. Designers are interested in using ceramic matrix composites because they have the capability of withstanding significant loads while at relatively high temperatures (in excess of 1,000 C). Ceramic matrix composites retain the ceramic materials ability to withstand high temperatures, but also possess a much greater ductility and toughness. Their high strength and medium toughness is what makes them of so much interest to the aerospace community. This work concentrated on two different tasks. The first task was to do an extensive literature search into the mechanical behavior of ceramic matrix composite materials. This report contains the results of this task. The second task was to use this understanding to help interpret the ceramic matrix composite mechanical test results that had already been obtained by NASA. Since the specific details of these test results are subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), they are reported in a separate document (Jordan, 1997).

Jordan, William↗
NASA NTRS1985

Effect of fiber and matrix maximum strain on the energy absorption of composite materials

Static crushing tests were conducted on graphite composite tubes to examine the influence of fiber and matrix maximum strain at failure on the energy absorption capability of graphite reinforced composite material. Fiber and matrix maximum strain at failure were determined to significantly effect energy absorption. The higher strain at failure composite material system, AS-4/5245, exhibited superior energy absorption capability compared to AS-4/934, T300/5245 or T300/934 composite material. Results of this investigation suggest that to achieve maximum energy absorption from a composite material a matrix material that has a higher strain at failure than the fiber reinforcement should be used.

Farley, G. L.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Properties of five toughened matrix composite materials

The use of toughened matrix composite materials offers an attractive solution to the problem of poor damage tolerance associated with advanced composite materials. In this study, the unidirectional laminate strengths and moduli, notched (open-hole) and unnotched tension and compression properties of quasi-isotropic laminates, and compression-after-impact strengths of five carbon fiber/toughened matrix composites, IM7/E7T1-2, IM7/X1845, G40-800X/5255-3, IM7/5255-3, and IM7/5260 have been evaluated. The compression-after-impact (CAI) strengths were determined primarily by impacting quasi-isotropic laminates with the NASA Langley air gun. A few CAI tests were also made with a drop-weight impactor. For a given impact energy, compression after impact strengths were determined to be dependent on impactor velocity. Properties and strengths for the five materials tested are compared with NASA data on other toughened matrix materials (IM7/8551-7, IM6/1808I, IM7/F655, and T800/F3900). This investigation found that all five materials were stronger and more impact damage tolerant than more brittle carbon/epoxy composite materials currently used in aircraft structures.

Cano, Roberto J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Probability techniques for reliability analysis of composite materials

Traditional design approaches for composite materials have employed deterministic criteria for failure analysis. New approaches are required to predict the reliability of composite structures since strengths and stresses may be random variables. This report will examine and compare methods used to evaluate the reliability of composite laminae. The two types of methods that will be evaluated are fast probability integration (FPI) methods and Monte Carlo methods. In these methods, reliability is formulated as the probability that an explicit function of random variables is less than a given constant. Using failure criteria developed for composite materials, a function of design variables can be generated which defines a 'failure surface' in probability space. A number of methods are available to evaluate the integration over the probability space bounded by this surface; this integration delivers the required reliability. The methods which will be evaluated are: the first order, second moment FPI methods; second order, second moment FPI methods; the simple Monte Carlo; and an advanced Monte Carlo technique which utilizes importance sampling. The methods are compared for accuracy, efficiency, and for the conservativism of the reliability estimation. The methodology involved in determining the sensitivity of the reliability estimate to the design variables (strength distributions) and importance factors is also presented.

Wetherhold, Robert C.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Materials laboratories of the future for alloys, amorphous, and composite materials

In alignment with the Materials Genome Initiative and as the product of a workshop sponsored by the US National Science Foundation, we define a vision for materials laboratories of the future in alloys, amorphous materials, and composite materials; chart a roadmap for realizing this vision; identify technical bottlenecks and barriers to access; and propose pathways to equitable and democratic access to integrated toolsets in a manner that addresses urgent societal needs, accelerates technological innovation, and enhances manufacturing competitiveness. Spanning three important materials classes, this article summarizes the areas of alignment and unifying themes, distinctive needs of different materials research communities, key science drivers that cannot be accomplished within the capabilities of current materials laboratories, and open questions that need further community input. Here, we provide a broader context for the workshop, synopsize the salient findings, outline a shared vision for democratizing access and accelerating materials discovery, highlight some case studies across the three different materials classes, and identify significant issues that need further discussion.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2001

Local Debonding and Fiber Breakage in Composite Materials Modeled Accurately

A prerequisite for full utilization of composite materials in aerospace components is accurate design and life prediction tools that enable the assessment of component performance and reliability. Such tools assist both structural analysts, who design and optimize structures composed of composite materials, and materials scientists who design and optimize the composite materials themselves. NASA Glenn Research Center's Micromechanics Analysis Code with Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC) software package (http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/LPB/mac) addresses this need for composite design and life prediction tools by providing a widely applicable and accurate approach to modeling composite materials. Furthermore, MAC/GMC serves as a platform for incorporating new local models and capabilities that are under development at NASA, thus enabling these new capabilities to progress rapidly to a stage in which they can be employed by the code's end users.

Bednarcyk, Brett A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Composite Materials

To improve certain characteristics of composite materials, Lewis developed an improved impregnating solution known as PMR-15. Ferro Corporation, interested in adding to its own line of prepregs, obtained, from Lewis, the formula and the procedure for synthesizing PMR-15 and, after a period of company experimentation, used it in developing new composite materials. These Ferropreg composites, compounded of polyimide/glass and polyimide/graphite have a variety of applications.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1988

Thermo-viscoelastic analysis of composite materials, volume 1

Advanced composite materials, especially graphite/epoxy, are being applied to aircraft structures in order to improve performance and save weight. An important consideration in composite design is the residual strength of a structure containing holes, delaminations, or interlaminar damage when subjected to compressive loads. Recent studies have revealed the importance of viscoelastic effects in polymer-based composites. The viscoelastic effect is particularly significant at elevated temperature/moisture conditions since the matrix material is strongly affected by the environment. The solution of viscoelastic problems in composites was limited to special cases which can be solved by classical lamination theory. A finite element procedure is presented for calculating time-dependent stresses and strains in composite structures with general configurations and complicated boundary conditions. Using this procedure the in-plane and interlaminar stress distributions and histories in notched and unnotched composites were obtained for mechanical and thermal loads. Both two-dimensional and three-dimensional viscoelastic problems are analyzed. The effects of layup orientation and load spectrum on creep response and stress relaxation were also studied.

Lin, K. Y.↗