Manufacturing of hybrid thermoplastic-thermoset fiber reinforced composite and metallization by cold spray technique

Abstract

Polymer and polymer matrix composites (PMCs) have found applications in aerospace sector. Thermosets (TS) possess higher corrosion resistance, shape retention and durability. Thermoplastics (TP) are easier for remolding in comparison to the former. Surface metallization is one of the recently applied trends for electrical and thermal properties improvement. In different metallization methods, primary restrain is the thermoset surface degradation, whereas thermoplastics have been found to be favorable for metallization. The presented article is part of continuous study aiming the cocuring of thermoset-thermoplastic resin with fibrous reinforcement. The composite manufacturing stage consisted of resin infusion (RI) process route for realizing the composite. Main objective of this stage was the through thickness and linear direction impregnation of thermoset to ensure the sound composite comprising contact between thermoplastic layer as well as fiber reinforcement. Fiber reinforcement combined with the resin infusion auxiliary materials were placed over the thermoplastic material prior to the vacuum bagging stage. Catalyzed thermoset resin impregnation in the vacuum bagged preform was conducted under the cocuring cycle. The composite panel was subsequently metallized via low-pressure cold spraying technique. The coating formation was analyzed with process parameters variation. Qualitatively, coating formation on such hybrid composite substrate was observed. However, the substrate manufacturing was found to have influence on the coating quality. Adhesion pull-off test displayed detachment zone directly in the coating substrate interphase. Presence of voids and less thermoset resin was noticed in the case of coating attempts varying process parameters such as traverse speed and standoff distance. Higher adhesion was noted with lowest selected 1 mm/s traverse speed and 10 mm standoff distance.