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Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering
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Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Composites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 April 2023) | Viewed by 41031

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jiangbo Bai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Transportation Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
Interests: structural design and fabrication technology of advanced composites; aerospace foldable/deployable flexible composite structures (large elastic deformation, large shape memory deformation, inflatable deployment, etc.); composite structures for morphing applications; constitutive of braided composites; damage failure behavior of composite structures; 3D and 4D printed composites; multi objective optimization design
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Jianwen Bao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Science and Technology on Advanced Composites Laboratory, BIAM, AVIC Composite Center, AVIC Composite Corporation LTD, Beijing 100095, China
Interests: polymer matrix composites; thermoplastic composite; liquid composite molding; composite manufacturing processes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Yan Shi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Automation Science and Electrical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
Interests: precision detection and control technology of pneumatic transmission system; airborne electromechanical system；intelligent manufacturing; special material processing；aviation oxygen supply technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Changchuan Xie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Aeronautics Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
Interests: composite aircraft design and control; aeroelasticity; smart structure; analysis of functional integrated structure
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Nicholas Fantuzzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, Viale del Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy
Interests: modeling of offshore structures and offshore structural components; structural theories of plates and applied mathematical modeling; mechanics of solids and structures; study of composite laminated structures and advanced composite materials; fracture mechanics and crack propagation and initiation; applied numerical methods such as finite element method and mesh-free element method
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Dayong Hu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Transportation Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
Interests: structure crashworthiness; impact dynamics; finite element simulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Advanced composites have many advantages, such as a high specific strength, high specific modulus, fatigue resistance, light weight, corrosion resistance and strong design, etc. They have been widely investigated and applied in the aerospace field. The amount of composite materials used has become an important indicator for evaluating the advanced nature of aircraft or spacecraft. Composite materials and structures are formed simultaneously, which requires designers to have sufficient understanding of materials, preparation technology and mechanics, etc. Only in this way we can fully explore the potential of composite materials through an appropriate design. The extreme demands in the field of aerospace engineering are good opportunities for the development of advanced composite technology, while putting forward new challenges.

In this Special Issue, we focus on advanced composite design and manufacturing technology for aerospace engineering, mainly including materials, mechanics, manufacturing technology, test characterization, advanced equipment and engineering applications, etc. We encourage submissions of original research papers, short communications as well as review articles. This Special Issue reports the latest progress of advanced composite technology in the field of aerospace.

Potential topics for submissions include, but are not limited to:

  • Materials design, such as fiber, resin, interface, functional materials, etc.;
  • Mechanical design, such as constitutive modeling, multi-scale modeling, stiffness, static strength, fatigue, buckling stability, progressive damage behavior, etc.;
  • Manufacturing technology, such as autoclave, RTM, additive manufacturing, intelligent manufacturing, etc.;
  • Advanced equipment, such as automatic molding, additive manufacturing, test characterization, nondestructive testing, etc.;
  • Engineering applications, such as composite products, high-performance materials, design and evaluation methods, etc.

Prof. Dr. Jiangbo Bai
Prof. Dr. Jianwen Bao
Prof. Dr. Yan Shi
Prof. Dr. Changchuan Xie
Prof. Dr. Nicholas Fantuzzi
Prof. Dr. Dayong Hu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fiber
  • resin
  • interface
  • composites
  • constitutive model
  • multi-scale modeling
  • stiffness
  • static streng
  • fatigue
  • buckling stability
  • progressive damage behavior
  • autoclave
  • RTM
  • additive manufacturing
  • intelligent manufacturing
  • characterization
  • nondestructive testing
  • structural design
  • aeroelasticity
  • smart structures
  • functional structures
  • optimization algorithm
  • machine learning algorithm
  • optimal design

Published Papers (22 papers)

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16 pages, 6732 KiB  
Article
Effects of Surface Properties of Fiber on Interface Properties of Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Resin and Its Graphene Oxide Modified Hybrid Composites
by Weihua Bai, Wenjun Liu, Weidong Li, Zewen Lin, Hong Qiu and Xiaolan Hu
Materials 2023, 16(11), 4005; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16114005 - 26 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 852
Abstract
In the present study, surface properties of three types of carbon fibers (CCF300, CCM40J, and CCF800H) on the interface properties of carbon fiber/epoxy resin (CF/EP) were analyzed. The composites are further modified by graphene oxide (GO) to obtain GO/CF/EP hybrid composites. Meanwhile, the [...] Read more.
In the present study, surface properties of three types of carbon fibers (CCF300, CCM40J, and CCF800H) on the interface properties of carbon fiber/epoxy resin (CF/EP) were analyzed. The composites are further modified by graphene oxide (GO) to obtain GO/CF/EP hybrid composites. Meanwhile, the effect of the surface properties of CFs and the additive graphene oxide on the interlaminar shear properties and dynamic thermomechanical properties of GO/CF/EP hybrid composites are also analyzed. The results show that the higher surface oxygen-carbon ratio of carbon fiber (CCF300) has a positive effect on improving the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the CF/EP composites. The Tg of CCF300/EP is 184.4 °C, while the Tg of CCM40J/EP and CCF800/EP are only 177.1 °C and 177.4 °C, respectively. Furthermore, deeper and more dense grooves on the fiber surface (CCF800H and CCM40J) are more conducive to improving the interlaminar shear performance of the CF/EP composites. The interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of CCF300/EP is 59.7 MPa, and that of CCM40J/EP and CCF800H/EP are 80.1 MPa and 83.5 MPa, respectively. For the GO/CF/EP hybrid composites, graphene oxide with abundant oxygen-containing groups is beneficial to improve the interfacial interaction. Graphene oxide can significantly improve the glass transition temperature and interlamellar shear strength of GO/CCF300/EP composites fabricated by CCF300 with a higher surface oxygen-carbon ratio. For the CCM40J and CCF800H with lower surface oxygen-carbon ratio, graphene oxide has a better modification effect on the glass transition temperature and interlamellar shear strength of GO/CCM40J/EP composites fabricated by CCM40J with deeper and finer surface grooves. Regardless of the type of carbon fiber, the GO/CF/EP hybrid composites with 0.1% graphene oxide have the optimized interlaminar shear strength, and the GO/CF/EP hybrid composites with 0.5% graphene oxide have the maximum glass transition temperature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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13 pages, 2414 KiB  
Article
Interfacial Enhancement by CNTs Grafting towards High-Performance Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Composites
by Wei Zhang, Mingfeng Dai, Xin Liang, Xi Wang, Wei Wei and Zuowan Zhou
Materials 2023, 16(10), 3825; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16103825 - 18 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1065
Abstract
The problem of interfacial interaction between carbon fiber (CF) and the matrix is the key to the failure of CF-reinforced plastic (CFRP). A general strategy to enhance interfacial connections is to create covalent bonds between the components, but this usually reduces the toughness [...] Read more.
The problem of interfacial interaction between carbon fiber (CF) and the matrix is the key to the failure of CF-reinforced plastic (CFRP). A general strategy to enhance interfacial connections is to create covalent bonds between the components, but this usually reduces the toughness of the composite material, which in turn limits the range of applications of the composite. In this study, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grafted onto the CF surface using the molecular layer bridging effect of the dual coupling agent to prepare multi-scale reinforcements, which significantly improved the roughness and chemical activity of the CF surface. By introducing a transition layer structure between the carbon fibers and the epoxy resin matrix to moderate the large modulus and scale differences between them, the interfacial interaction was improved while enhancing the strength and toughness of CFRP. We used amine-cured bisphenol A-based epoxy resin (E44) as the matrix resin and prepared the composites by the hand-paste method and performed tensile tests on the prepared composites, which showed that, compared with the original CF-reinforced composites, the modified composites showed an increase in tensile strength, Young’s modulus and elongation at break by 40.5%, 66.3% and 41.9%, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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16 pages, 8606 KiB  
Article
Damage Analysis of CFRP Hybrid Bonded-Bolted Joint during Insertion of Interference-Fit Bolt
by Long Yan, Ruisong Jiang and Yangjie Zuo
Materials 2023, 16(10), 3753; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16103753 - 15 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1229
Abstract
In this study, experiments and finite element analysis (FEA) were used to evaluate the impact of interference-fit sizes on CFRP hybrid bonded-bolted (HBB) joint damage during bolt insertion. The specimens were designed in accordance with the ASTM D5961 standard and bolt insertion tests [...] Read more.
In this study, experiments and finite element analysis (FEA) were used to evaluate the impact of interference-fit sizes on CFRP hybrid bonded-bolted (HBB) joint damage during bolt insertion. The specimens were designed in accordance with the ASTM D5961 standard and bolt insertion tests were performed at selected interference-fit sizes (0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8%, and 1%). Damage to composite laminates was predicted using the Shokrieh–Hashin criterion and Tan’s degradation rule via the user subroutine USDFLD, while damage to the adhesive layer was simulated by the Cohesive Zone Model (CZM). The corresponding bolt insertion tests were performed. The variation of insertion force with interference-fit size was discussed. The results showed that matrix compressive failure was the main failure mode. With the growth of the interference-fit size, more failure modes appeared, and the failure region expanded. Regarding the adhesive layer, it did not completely fail at the four interference-fit sizes. This paper will be helpful in designing composite joint structures and especially for understanding CFRP HBB joint damage and failure mechanisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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13 pages, 3458 KiB  
Article
Expanding the “Magic Triangle” of Reinforced Rubber Using a Supramolecular Filler Strategy
by Yihong Zhao, Mingwei Ren, Xiangdong Zhu, Zhangyu Ren, Yaofang Hu, Huhu Zhao, Weiheng Wang, Yunbo Chen, Kewei Gao and Yujing Zhou
Materials 2023, 16(9), 3429; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16093429 - 27 Apr 2023
Viewed by 982
Abstract
A strategy for optimizing the rolling resistance, wet skid and cut resistance of reinforced rubber simultaneously using a supramolecular filler is demonstrated. A β-alanine trimer-grafted Styrene Butadiene Rubber (A3-SBR) pristine polymer was designed and mechanically mixed with commercially available styrene butadiene [...] Read more.
A strategy for optimizing the rolling resistance, wet skid and cut resistance of reinforced rubber simultaneously using a supramolecular filler is demonstrated. A β-alanine trimer-grafted Styrene Butadiene Rubber (A3-SBR) pristine polymer was designed and mechanically mixed with commercially available styrene butadiene rubber to help the dispersion of a β-alanine trimer (A3) supramolecular filler in the rubber matrix. To increase the miscibility of A3-SBR with other rubber components during mechanical mixing, the pristine polymer was saturated with ethanol before mixing. The mixture was vulcanized using a conventional rubber processing method. The morphology of the assembles of the A3 supramolecular filler in the rubber matrix was studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The Differential Scanning Calorimetry study showed that the melting temperature of β-sheet crystals in the vulcanizates was around 179 °C and was broad. The melting temperature was similar to that of the pristine polymer, and the broad melting peak likely suggests that the size of the crystals is not uniform. The Transmission Electron Microscopy study revealed that after mixing the pristine polymer with SBR, some β-sheet crystals were rod-like with several tens of nanometers and some β-sheet crystals were particulate with low aspect ratios. Tensile testing with pre-cut specimens showed that the vulcanizate containing A3-SBR was more cut-resistant than the one that did not contain A3-SBR, especially at a large cut size. The rolling resistance and wet skid were predicted by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). DMA tests showed that the vulcanizates containing A3-SBR were significantly less hysteretic at 60 °C and more hysteretic at 0 °C based on loss factor. Overall, the “magic triangle” was expanded by optimizing the rolling resistance, wet-skid, and cut resistance simultaneously using a β-alanine trimer supramolecular filler. The Payne effect also became less severe after introducing the β-alanine trimer supramolecular filler into the system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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11 pages, 5426 KiB  
Article
Study on the Heterogeneous Nucleation Mechanism of SiCp/AZ91 Magnesium Matrix Composites under Pulse Current
by Xi Hao, Wei Liu, Teng Ma, Weixin Hao and Hua Hou
Materials 2023, 16(5), 1993; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16051993 - 28 Feb 2023
Viewed by 815
Abstract
SiCp/AZ91D magnesium matrix composites with 30% SiCp were successfully prepared by pulsed current melting in this work. Then, the influences of the pulse current on the microstructure, phase composition, and heterogeneous nucleation of the experimental materials were analyzed in detail. [...] Read more.
SiCp/AZ91D magnesium matrix composites with 30% SiCp were successfully prepared by pulsed current melting in this work. Then, the influences of the pulse current on the microstructure, phase composition, and heterogeneous nucleation of the experimental materials were analyzed in detail. The results show that the grain size of both the solidification matrix structure and SiC reinforcement are refined by pulse current treatment, and the refining effect is gradually more obvious with an increase in the pulse current peak value. Moreover, the pulse current reduces the chemical potential of the reaction between SiCp and Mg matrix, thus promoting the reaction between SiCp and the alloy melt and stimulating the formation of Al4C3 along the grain boundaries. Furthermore, Al4C3 and MgO, as heterogeneous nucleation substrates, can induce heterogeneous nucleation and refine the solidification matrix structure. Finally, when increasing the peak value of the pulse current, the repulsive force between the particles increases while the agglomeration phenomenon is suppressed, which results in the dispersed distribution of SiC reinforcements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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17 pages, 6519 KiB  
Article
Experimental Investigations into the Pyrolysis Mechanism and Composition of Ceramic Precursors Containing Boron and Nitrides with Different Boron Contents
by Yiqiang Hong, Guoxin Qu, Youpei Du, Tingting Yuan, Shuangshuang Hao, Wei Yang, Zhen Dai and Qingsong Ma
Materials 2022, 15(23), 8390; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15238390 - 25 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1085
Abstract
In this work, a novel ceramic precursor containing boron, silicon, and nitrides (named SiBCN) was synthesized from liquid ceramic precursors. Additionally, its pyrolysis, microstructure, and chemical composition were studied at 1600 °C. The results showed that the samples with different boron contents had [...] Read more.
In this work, a novel ceramic precursor containing boron, silicon, and nitrides (named SiBCN) was synthesized from liquid ceramic precursors. Additionally, its pyrolysis, microstructure, and chemical composition were studied at 1600 °C. The results showed that the samples with different boron contents had similar structural composition, and both of the two precursors had stable amorphous SiBN structures at 1400 °C, which were mainly composed of B-N and Si-N and endowed them with excellent thermo-oxidative stability. With the progress of the heating process, the boron contents increased and the structures became more amorphous, significantly improving the thermal stability of the samples in high-temperature environments. However, during the moisture treatment, the introduction of more boron led to worse moisture stability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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10 pages, 6579 KiB  
Article
Design and Application of a Twisted and Coiled Polymer Driven Artificial Musculoskeletal Actuation Module
by Chunbing Wu, Wen Zheng, Zhiyi Wang, Biao Yan, Jia Ma and Guangqiang Fang
Materials 2022, 15(22), 8261; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15228261 - 21 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1196
Abstract
Twisted and coiled polymer (TCP) artificial muscles can exhibit unidirectional actuation similar to skeletal muscles. This paper presents a TCP driven artificial musculoskeletal actuation module that can be used in soft robots. This module can contract in the axis direction, and the contraction [...] Read more.
Twisted and coiled polymer (TCP) artificial muscles can exhibit unidirectional actuation similar to skeletal muscles. This paper presents a TCP driven artificial musculoskeletal actuation module that can be used in soft robots. This module can contract in the axis direction, and the contraction displacement and force can be controlled easily. The main body of the actuation module consists of TCP muscles and leaf springs, and the deformation of the module is actuated by the TCP muscles. A prototype was made to test the performance of the module. The design and experimental results of the module are presented. The module can provide contraction motion. Results show that the module can provide a contraction force of 0.7 N with displacement of approximately 6.8 mm at 120 °C when exposed to electrical power of 24 V. The proposed artificial musculoskeletal actuation module can potentially be applied in biomimetic robots and the aerospace field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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12 pages, 7307 KiB  
Article
Sliding Wear Behavior of Intermetallic Ti-45Al-2Nb-2Mn-(at%)-0.8vol%TiB2 Processed by Centrifugal Casting and Hot Isostatic Pressure: Influence of Microstructure
by Segundo Shagñay, Juan Cornide and Elisa María Ruiz-Navas
Materials 2022, 15(22), 8052; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15228052 - 15 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1067
Abstract
Intermetallic alloys such as titanium aluminides (TiAl) are potential materials for aerospace applications at elevated temperatures. TiAl intermetallics have low weight and improved efficiency under aggressive environments. However, there is limited information about wear behavior of these alloys and their microstructure. The present [...] Read more.
Intermetallic alloys such as titanium aluminides (TiAl) are potential materials for aerospace applications at elevated temperatures. TiAl intermetallics have low weight and improved efficiency under aggressive environments. However, there is limited information about wear behavior of these alloys and their microstructure. The present work aims to study the influence of the microstructure in the tribological behavior of TiAl intermetallic alloy (45Al-2Mn-2Nb(at%)-0.8 vol%TiB2). Wear tests were performed on samples manufactured by centrifugal casting (CC) and hot isostatic pressure (HIP). Reciprocating sliding wear test was carried out for TiAl, it was combined with different loads and frequencies. Wear tracks were analyzed through opto-digital microscopy and electron microscopy (SEM). The results obtained reveal that CC intermetallics present the lowest volume wear lost, approximately 20% less than HIP intermetallics. This good behavior could be related to the high hardness material, associated with the main microstructure where CC intermetallic has nearly lamellar microstructure and HIP intermetallics present duplex microstructure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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17 pages, 6871 KiB  
Article
A CNT-Toughened Strategy for In-Situ Repair of Aircraft Composite Structures
by Tengfei Yang, Shiyong Chu, Bin Liu, Fei Xu, Bo Wang and Chengwei Wu
Materials 2022, 15(21), 7691; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15217691 - 01 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1264
Abstract
This study aimed to develop an in-situ field-repair approach, especially for aircraft composite structures, to enhance the interlaminar toughness of plain-woven composites (PWCs) by adding multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). MWCNTs were dispersed at each interface between prepreg layers by means of solvent spraying, [...] Read more.
This study aimed to develop an in-situ field-repair approach, especially for aircraft composite structures, to enhance the interlaminar toughness of plain-woven composites (PWCs) by adding multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). MWCNTs were dispersed at each interface between prepreg layers by means of solvent spraying, with a density of 1.58 g/m2. Then, the layers were stacked with the predefined sequence and cured at 120 °C and 1 bar pressure, using a heat-repairing instrument. A standard double cantilever beam (DCB) test was used to investigate the interlaminar toughening effect that was due to the MWCNTs. For comparison, original samples were also prepared. The results indicated that the introduction of MWCNTs can favorably enhance the interlaminar toughness of PWCs in a field-repair approach and the Mode I fracture energy release rate, GIC, increased by 102.92%. Based on the finite element method (FEM) of continuum damage mechanics, the original samples and the MWCNTs toughening specimen under DCB Mode I fracture were modeled and analyzed. The simulation and the experiment were in good agreement. Finally, when the toughening mechanism of MWCNTs was explored with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), we found that a large amount of fiber-matrix (F-M) interface debonding and matrix cracking in mountain shape were the major modes of fracture, accompanied by a small amount of fiber breakage and matrix peeling for the MWCNTs-toughening specimens. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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14 pages, 10163 KiB  
Article
Design and Mechanical Characterisation of a Large Truss Structure for Continuous Manufacturing in Space
by Peng Li, Hongyang Ning, Jiayong Yan, Bo Xu and Hongjian Li
Materials 2022, 15(17), 6025; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15176025 - 01 Sep 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2022
Abstract
In this paper, large space structures are essential components of significant equipment in orbits, such as megawatt-class solar power plants and long baseline interferometry. However, to realize the in-space fabrication of such megastructures, the primary consideration is the continuous fabrication of the structure. [...] Read more.
In this paper, large space structures are essential components of significant equipment in orbits, such as megawatt-class solar power plants and long baseline interferometry. However, to realize the in-space fabrication of such megastructures, the primary consideration is the continuous fabrication of the structure. In this paper, we propose and design a structural form that differs from the minimum constituent unit shape of conventional truss structures by using an efficient winding and weaving method to construct truss structures. The continuously buildable one-dimensional truss’s structural design and mechanical properties are investigated. The parameters affecting the fundamental frequency of the truss structure are analyzed through modeling, simulation and experimental verification of the continuously buildable 1D truss. It is concluded that this configuration truss can be built continuously in space. The most influential factors on the fundamental truss frequency are the truss section spacing, the total truss length and the truss-specific stiffness. The simulated and theoretical values of the truss’s static stiffness and vibration frequency have minor errors, which provide a basis for the configuration design for the continuous manufacturing of large truss structures in space. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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19 pages, 14590 KiB  
Article
Performance of 3D-Printed Bionic Conch-Like Composite Plate under Low-Velocity Impact
by Mincen Wan, Dayong Hu and Baoqing Pei
Materials 2022, 15(15), 5201; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15155201 - 27 Jul 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1978
Abstract
Biological armors can provide an effective protection against predators. In this study, inspired by conch shell, beetle exoskeleton, and nacre, three different types of bionic composites plates were fabricated: Bio-S, Bio-B, and Bio-N, as well as an equivalent monolithic plate formed from the [...] Read more.
Biological armors can provide an effective protection against predators. In this study, inspired by conch shell, beetle exoskeleton, and nacre, three different types of bionic composites plates were fabricated: Bio-S, Bio-B, and Bio-N, as well as an equivalent monolithic plate formed from the same stiff material designed and manufactured by additive manufacturing, respectively. Low velocity impact tests using drop tower were conducted to study their impact resistance. Experimental findings indicated that the Bio-S composite had superior impact resistance compared with the other bionic composites and the monolithic plate. Furthermore, the influence of the ply angle on the impact resistance of the Bio-S composite plate was investigated. The (0°/30°/0°/30°) arrangement was able to provide the highest impact resistance. Finally, the crack propagation mode in Bio-S composites plates was analyzed, enhancing our understanding of the underlying mechanisms during impact. Such findings may lead to the development of superior lightweight protective structures with improved anti-impact performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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11 pages, 3144 KiB  
Article
The Preforming of an Interlaminar Toughened Carbon Fiber/Bismaleimide Resin Composite by a Benzoxazine-Based Tackifier
by Yaxian Zi, Yulian Zhang, Weidong Li, Gang Liu, Yujing Zhou, Hua Bai and Xiaolan Hu
Materials 2022, 15(12), 4196; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15124196 - 13 Jun 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1893
Abstract
When thermoplastic resin-toughened carbon fiber (CF) composites are formed by liquid resin transfer molding (RTM), the conventional methods cannot be used to set the fabric preform, which affects the overall mechanical properties of the composites. To address this challenge, the benzoxazine-based tackifier BT5501A [...] Read more.
When thermoplastic resin-toughened carbon fiber (CF) composites are formed by liquid resin transfer molding (RTM), the conventional methods cannot be used to set the fabric preform, which affects the overall mechanical properties of the composites. To address this challenge, the benzoxazine-based tackifier BT5501A was designed, a preforming–toughening bifunctional CF fabric was fabricated by employing thermoplastic polyaryletherketone (PEK-C), and an aviation RTM-grade bismaleimide (BMI) resin was used as the matrix to study the effect of the benzoxazine-based tackifier on the thermal curing property and heat resistance of the resin matrix. Furthermore, the preforming and toughening effects on the bifunctional CF fabric reinforced the BMI resin composites. The tackifier BT5501A has good process operability. The application of this tackifier can advance the thermal curing temperature of the BMI resin matrix and decrease the glass transition temperature of the resin, compared to that of the pure BMI resin. Furthermore, when the tackifier was added into the CF/PEK-C/BMI composites, the obtained CF/BT5501A/PEK-C/BMI composites had comparable compression strength after impact, pit depth, and damage area, compared to the CF/PEK-C/BMI composites, while the tackifier endowed the fabric preform with an excellent preforming effect. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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14 pages, 7052 KiB  
Article
Preparation and Properties of Modified Phenylethynyl Terminated Polyimide with Neodymium Oxide
by Peng Zhang, Hansong Liu, Yilun Yao, Tao Yang, Jinsong Sun, Xiangyu Zhong, Jianwen Bao, Yan Zhao and Xiangbao Chen
Materials 2022, 15(12), 4148; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15124148 - 10 Jun 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1796
Abstract
Modified phenylethynyl terminated polyimides (PIs) were successfully prepared by using neodymium oxide (Nd2O3) via high-speed stirring and ultrasonic dispersion methods. In addition, the structure and properties of the Nd2O3-modified imide oligomers as well as the [...] Read more.
Modified phenylethynyl terminated polyimides (PIs) were successfully prepared by using neodymium oxide (Nd2O3) via high-speed stirring and ultrasonic dispersion methods. In addition, the structure and properties of the Nd2O3-modified imide oligomers as well as the thermo-oxidative stability of the modified polyimides (PI/Nd2O3 hybrid) and its modification mechanism were investigated in detail. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results indicated that the 5% decomposition temperature (Td5%) of the PI/Nd2O3 hybrids improved from 557 °C to 575 °C, which was also verified by the TGA-IR tests. Meanwhile, the weight loss rate of the PI/Nd2O3 hybrids significantly decreased by 28% to 31% compared to that of pure PI under isothermal aging at 350 °C for 450 h when the added content of Nd2O3 was between 0.4 wt% and 1 wt%, showing outstanding thermo-oxidative stability. Moreover, the mechanism of the enhanced thermo-oxidative stability for the modified PIs was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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12 pages, 6121 KiB  
Article
Effects of the Interlayer Toughening Agent Structure on the Flow Behavior during the z-RTM Process
by Weidong Li, Gang Liu, Jianwen Bao, Shuhua Dong, Xiaolan Hu, Xiaosu Yi and Zhitao Lin
Materials 2022, 15(9), 3265; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15093265 - 02 May 2022
Viewed by 1819
Abstract
In this paper, interlayer toughening composites were prepared by the z-directional injection RTM process (z-RTM), which has the advantage of increasing the interlaminar toughness and shortening the filling time and completely impregnating the fibers. The nonwoven fabrics and dot matrix structure material were [...] Read more.
In this paper, interlayer toughening composites were prepared by the z-directional injection RTM process (z-RTM), which has the advantage of increasing the interlaminar toughness and shortening the filling time and completely impregnating the fibers. The nonwoven fabrics and dot matrix structure material were used as ex situ interlayer toughening agents. The effect of the interlayer toughening agent structure on the resin flow behavior during the z-RTM process was investigated. The macro-flowing and micro-infiltration behaviors of the resin inside the preforms were deduced. The permeability of the fabric preforms with different toughening agents was investigated. The results show that the introduction of the nonwoven structure toughening agent makes the macro flow slow, and the flow front more uniform. The toughening agent with a dot matrix structure promotes the resin macro flow in the preforms, and shortens the injection time. The z-directional permeability of the preform with a dot matrix structural toughening agent is one order of magnitude lower than that of the non-toughened preform, while being higher than the preform toughened by the nonwoven fabric preforms, which is helpful for the further applicability of the z-RTM process. Furthermore, the mode II interlaminar fracture toughness of composites was evaluated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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18 pages, 12256 KiB  
Article
Research on Low-Frequency Noise Control of Automobiles Based on Acoustic Metamaterial
by Yi Liao, Haibo Huang, Guangbao Chang, Deyang Luo, Chuanlai Xu, Yudong Wu and Jiyou Tang
Materials 2022, 15(9), 3261; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15093261 - 01 May 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2644
Abstract
With the transformation of the trend of vehicle electrification, the overall noise level in the vehicle is gradually reduced. The problem of low-frequency noise in the vehicle, which was previously ignored, is becoming more and more prominent. To solve the vehicle low-frequency noise [...] Read more.
With the transformation of the trend of vehicle electrification, the overall noise level in the vehicle is gradually reduced. The problem of low-frequency noise in the vehicle, which was previously ignored, is becoming more and more prominent. To solve the vehicle low-frequency noise problem, a combination of real-vehicle tests and simulation analysis is carried out. During the test, the driver and passengers feel that there is a relatively obvious low-frequency roar noise in the car, which results from the structural radiation noise of the trunk door vibration. Therefore, to solve this problem, we design an acoustic metamaterial with lightweight and miniaturized features based on the local resonance principle of phononic crystals. Firstly, the selection of the resonant unit configuration and the design of the band gap are implemented. Then, the layout planning of the whole vehicle, the layout of the resonance unit and the design of the base frame are implemented. The actual vehicle test results show that: after attaching the designed acoustic metamaterial, the low-frequency noise sound pressure levels in the front and rear of the vehicle were reduced by 2.0 dB (A) and 2.3 dB (A), respectively, meanwhile, the interior noise sound quality was improved. The sound pressure level at the driver’s right ear in the car has an abnormal peak of around 35Hz. In addition, the driver and passengers feel that there is a relatively obvious low-frequency roar noise in the car, and through low-pass filtering of the collected signals, it is confirmed that the peak frequency is the main cause of the low-frequency roar in the car. The low-frequency steady-state noise of the car is generally considered to be the low-frequency vibration of the body panel and the radiation occurs. Through the finite element simulation analysis (Grid Participation Analysis) of the abnormal peak frequency, the results show that the low-frequency roar is caused by the low-frequency vibration of the tailgate sheet metal, and the problem peak frequency is not coupled with the acoustic cavity mode. Facing the problem of the low-frequency roar radiated into the car by the vibration of the tailgate sheet metal parts, based on the local resonance band gap theory, we developed a design to suppress the 35 Hz vibration of the tailgate sheet metal parts and meet the characteristics of lightweight and miniaturization. By attaching the acoustic metamaterial to the tailgate and performing CAE simulation of the whole vehicle, it is determined that the structure can indeed reduce the 35 Hz noise in the car and the peak value of the tailgate sheet metal vibration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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15 pages, 5839 KiB  
Article
Design and Analysis of a Pneumatic Spring Testing System for Precision Manufacturing
by Zhibo Sun, Shaofeng Xu, Li Cheng, Na Wang, Yixuan Wang, Minhui Tian and Qingzhen Zhang
Materials 2022, 15(3), 1121; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15031121 - 31 Jan 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1962
Abstract
The vibration isolation effect of the pneumatic spring determines the precision of the manufacturing. In this paper, in order to detect the performance of a pneumatic spring, a multi frequency band testing system with different payload is designed and developed. First, the pneumatic [...] Read more.
The vibration isolation effect of the pneumatic spring determines the precision of the manufacturing. In this paper, in order to detect the performance of a pneumatic spring, a multi frequency band testing system with different payload is designed and developed. First, the pneumatic spring structure is analyzed, and the stiffness of the pneumatic spring is obtained based on the ideal gas model, Kelvin–Voigt model, and finite element method. Then, to verify the reliability of the system, a dynamic model of the vibration platform is established. Through an analysis of the simulation using the Simulink environment, critical parameters are determined, and the effective conditions of the vibration isolation are obtained. Based on the results from the simulation and experiment, the transmission rate is around 20% under 40 Hz vibration, and 12% under 100 Hz vibration. The pneumatic spring proves to be effective under vibrations beyond 7 H. This achievement will become an important basis for future research concerning precision manufacturing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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19 pages, 25489 KiB  
Article
A Systematic Characterization Approach for Vacuum Bag Only Prepregs towards an Accurate Process Design
by Muhammed H. Arikan, Fatih Eroglu, Volkan Eskizeybek, Emine Feyza Sukur, Mehmet Yildiz and Hatice S. Sas
Materials 2022, 15(2), 451; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15020451 - 07 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2342
Abstract
Aerospace-grade composite parts can be manufactured using Vacuum Bag Only prepregs through an accurate process design. Quality in the desired part can be realized by following process modeling, process optimization, and validation, which strongly depend on a primary and systematic material characterization methodology [...] Read more.
Aerospace-grade composite parts can be manufactured using Vacuum Bag Only prepregs through an accurate process design. Quality in the desired part can be realized by following process modeling, process optimization, and validation, which strongly depend on a primary and systematic material characterization methodology of the prepreg system and material constitutive behavior. The present study introduces a systematic characterization approach of a Vacuum Bag Only prepreg by covering the relevant material properties in an integrated manner with the process mechanisms of fluid flow, consolidation, and heat transfer. The characterization recipe is practiced under the categories of (i) resin system, (ii) fiber architecture, and (iii) thermal behavior. First, empirical models are successively developed for the cure-kinetics, glass transition temperature, and viscosity for the resin system. Then, the fiber architecture of the uncured prepreg system is identified with X-ray tomography to obtain the air permeability. Finally, the thermal characteristics of the prepreg and its constituents are experimentally characterized by adopting a novel specimen preparation technique for the specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity. Thus, this systematic approach is designed to provide the material data to process modeling with the motivation of a robust and integrated Vacuum Bag Only process design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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14 pages, 3892 KiB  
Article
Novel Four-Cell Lenticular Honeycomb Deployable Boom with Enhanced Stiffness
by Hui Yang, Shuoshuo Fan, Yan Wang and Chuang Shi
Materials 2022, 15(1), 306; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15010306 - 01 Jan 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2083
Abstract
Composite thin-walled booms can easily be folded and self-deployed by releasing stored strain energy. Thus, such booms can be used to deploy antennas, solar sails, and optical telescopes. In the present work, a new four-cell lenticular honeycomb deployable (FLHD) boom is proposed, and [...] Read more.
Composite thin-walled booms can easily be folded and self-deployed by releasing stored strain energy. Thus, such booms can be used to deploy antennas, solar sails, and optical telescopes. In the present work, a new four-cell lenticular honeycomb deployable (FLHD) boom is proposed, and the relevant parameters are optimized. Coiling dynamics analysis of the FLHD boom under a pure bending load is performed using nonlinear explicit dynamics analysis, and the coiling simulation is divided into three consecutive steps, namely, the flattening step, the holding step, and the hub coiling step. An optimal design method for the coiling of the FLHD boom is developed based on a back propagation neural network (BPNN). A full factorial design of the experimental method is applied to create 36 sample points, and surrogate models of the coiling peak moment (Mpeak) and maximum principal stress (Smax) are established using the BPNN. Fatigue cracks caused by stress concentration are avoided by setting Smax to a specific constraint and the wrapping Mpeak and mass of the FLHD boom as objectives. Non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II is used for optimization via ISIGHT software. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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13 pages, 3951 KiB  
Article
Stress Superposition Method and Mechanical Properties Analysis of Regular Polygon Membranes
by Tao Peng, Qiuhong Lin, Bingyan Li, Ani Luo, Qiang Cong and Rongqiang Liu
Materials 2022, 15(1), 192; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15010192 - 28 Dec 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1598
Abstract
In this paper, the stress superposition method (SSM) is proposed to solve the stress distribution of regular polygon membranes. The stress-solving coefficient and the calculation formula of arbitrary point stress of regular polygon membrane are derived. The accuracy of the SSM for calculating [...] Read more.
In this paper, the stress superposition method (SSM) is proposed to solve the stress distribution of regular polygon membranes. The stress-solving coefficient and the calculation formula of arbitrary point stress of regular polygon membrane are derived. The accuracy of the SSM for calculating stresses in regular polygonal membranes is verified by comparing the calculation results of the SSM with the finite element simulation results. This article is the first to propose a method to investigate the response of the arch height of the membrane curved edge to the membrane’s mechanical properties while keeping the effective area constant. It is found that the equivalent stress and the second principal stress at the midpoint of the membrane curved edge are effectively increased with the increase of the arch height of the curved edge. The second principal stress at the edge region of the membrane is relatively small, leading to the occurrence of wrinkles. When the stress at the midpoint of the curved edge is equal to that at the center of the membrane, the membrane plane attains the maximum stiffness and reduces the possibility of wrinkling at the edge. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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13 pages, 3973 KiB  
Article
Simplified Analytical Model for Predicting Neutral Cross-Section Position of Lenticular Deployable Composite Boom in Tensile Deformation
by Li-Wu Wang, Jiang-Bo Bai and Yan Shi
Materials 2021, 14(24), 7809; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14247809 - 16 Dec 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2067
Abstract
Foldable and deployable flexible composite thin-walled structures have the characteristics of light weight, excellent mechanical properties and large deformation ability, which means they have good application prospects in the aerospace field. In this paper, a simplified theoretical model for predicting the position of [...] Read more.
Foldable and deployable flexible composite thin-walled structures have the characteristics of light weight, excellent mechanical properties and large deformation ability, which means they have good application prospects in the aerospace field. In this paper, a simplified theoretical model for predicting the position of the neutral section of a lenticular deployable composite boom (DCB) in tensile deformation is proposed. The three-dimensional lenticular DCB is simplified as a two-dimensional spring system and a rigid rod, distributed in parallel along the length direction. The position of the neutral cross-section can be determined by solving the balance equations and geometric relations. In order to verify the validity of the theoretical model, a finite element model of the tensile deformation of a lenticular DCB was established. The theoretical prediction results were compared with the finite element calculation results, and the two results were in good agreement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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19 pages, 19554 KiB  
Article
An Alternative Electro-Mechanical Finite Formulation for Functionally Graded Graphene-Reinforced Composite Beams with Macro-Fiber Composite Actuator
by Yu Fu, Xingzhong Tang, Qilin Jin and Zhen Wu
Materials 2021, 14(24), 7802; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14247802 - 16 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2164
Abstract
With its extraordinary physical properties, graphene is regarded as one of the most attractive reinforcements to enhance the mechanical characteristics of composite materials. However, the existing models in the literature might meet severe challenges in the interlaminar-stress prediction of thick, functionally graded, graphene-reinforced-composite [...] Read more.
With its extraordinary physical properties, graphene is regarded as one of the most attractive reinforcements to enhance the mechanical characteristics of composite materials. However, the existing models in the literature might meet severe challenges in the interlaminar-stress prediction of thick, functionally graded, graphene-reinforced-composite (FG-GRC)-laminated beams that have been integrated with piezoelectric macro-fiber-composite (MFC) actuators under electro-mechanical loadings. If the transverse shear deformations cannot be accurately described, then the mechanical performance of the FG-GRC-laminated beams with MFC actuators will be significantly impacted by the electro-mechanical coupling effect and the sudden change of the material characteristics at the interfaces. Therefore, a new electro-mechanical coupled-beam model with only four independent displacement variables is proposed in this paper. Employing the Hu–Washizu (HW) variational principle, the precision of the transverse shear stresses in regard to the electro-mechanical coupling effect can be improved. Moreover, the second-order derivatives of the in-plane displacement parameters have been removed from the transverse-shear-stress components, which can greatly simplify the finite-element implementation. Thus, based on the proposed electro-mechanical coupled model, a simple C0-type finite-element formulation is developed for the interlaminar shear-stress analysis of thick FG-GRC-laminated beams with MFC actuators. The 3D elasticity solutions and the results obtained from other models are used to assess the performance of the proposed finite-element formulation. Additionally, comprehensive parametric studies are performed on the influences of the graphene volume fraction, distribution pattern, electro-mechanical loading, boundary conditions, lamination scheme and geometrical parameters of the beams on the deformations and stresses of the FG-GRC-laminated beams with MFC actuators. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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Review

Jump to: Research

21 pages, 3254 KiB  
Review
Study on Health Monitoring and Fatigue Life Prediction of Aircraft Structures
by Yanjun Zhang, Bintuan Wang, Yu Ning, Haifeng Xue and Xiaoxin Lei
Materials 2022, 15(23), 8606; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15238606 - 02 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4867
Abstract
In this paper, some progress and achievements in aircraft integrity requirements, structural health monitoring, load spectrum measurement and life assessment research were presented. Several concepts of structural health monitoring were analyzed and compared, and the basic flow chart for health monitoring and life [...] Read more.
In this paper, some progress and achievements in aircraft integrity requirements, structural health monitoring, load spectrum measurement and life assessment research were presented. Several concepts of structural health monitoring were analyzed and compared, and the basic flow chart for health monitoring and life prediction of an aircraft structure was given. The selection of control points, construction of load/strain equations and stress calculation of control points were also described. Reliable IAT (Individual Aircraft Tracking) and life monitoring methods and software for IAT were developed for a certain type of aircraft, and fatigue life prediction of an aging aircraft was conducted based on actual measurement of load spectrum. The main features such as damage calculation, life evaluation and result output were discussed, and the future research focuses relating to intelligent structural health monitoring were finally explored. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Composite Material Design and Manufacturing Technology for Aerospace Engineering)
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