Continuous carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites: Technological breakthroughs and challenges

Light weight and high strength are the eternal theme of the development of new materials

Composite materials have high specific strength, high specific stiffness and good fatigue resistance, corrosion resistance and weather resistance, making them widely used in all walks of life. As an important part of composite materials, thermoplastic composites have developed rapidly in recent years because of their advantages of fast forming speed, recyclability and high damage tolerance. With the final assembly of the large aircraft C919 rolling off the assembly line in 2016, aviation thermoplastic composites began to enter the public eye.

Polyetherimide (PEI), Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), Polyetheretherketone (Polyetheretherketone) The application of three major aerospace thermoplastics as composite substrates in the aerospace field began in the 1990s. In 2012, Fokker used the CFF/PEEK composite for the first time in the TAPAS twist box.

PEEK as a new polymer has been in the laboratory research and development stage in China. In 2002, domestic enterprises can be mass-produced one after another, but the product quality is still a certain gap compared with international standards. In recent years, the quality of domestic products has been improved qualitatively, and the quality of its products has reached international standards, which provides strong support for the development of fiber reinforced PEEK composites.

Continuous carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic prepreg belt is widely used because of its excellent mechanical properties and recyclability, especially in Europe, America, Japan and other countries. At present, the preparation technology of continuous carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin prepreg belt is relatively leading in the world by aerospace research institutions represented by NASA, and some carbon fiber manufacturers represented by Toray in Japan.

At present, continuous carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites are mostly used in aerospace, satellite, military and other fields.

Method of continuous carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin prepreg tape

(1) melt impregnation method

After the continuous carbon fiber is placed on the yarn frame, it is adjusted by the roller wheel to make it evenly stressed into the yarn splitting system. In this system, the carbon fiber is fully developed after the expansion roll and preheating, and then enters the impregnation system. Under high temperature and high pressure, the molten thermoplastic resin penetrates and infiltrates the carbon fiber, and then pulls and winds to get the continuous carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic prepreg belt after being shaped.

(2) solution impregnation method

A suitable solvent was selected to dissolve the resin matrix and prepare a solution, then the carbon fiber bundle was impregnated with this solution, the solvent volatilized by drying, and finally the prepreg was prepared by compacting. However, this method has certain limitations, not all thermoplastic substrates are soluble in organic solvents.

(3) powder fluidization impregnation method

Stretch and thin the carbon fiber tow; Then, through an electrostatic fluidized bed filled with 10μm powder, the resin powder is evenly coated on the fiber surface, and the resin is heated in the oven and rolled by a hot press to fully infiltrate the fiber, so as to obtain the thermoplastic sheet.

(4) powder suspension impregnation method

First, the resin powder is made into a suspension, the fiber strands are soaked in the suspension and the resin is fully impregnated, and then the oven is dried and the resin is in a molten state, and then the hot press roll is pressed and cooled to make a pre-preg belt.

(5) Mixing method

Fiber mixing method is the resin processing spinning, resin fiber and carbon fiber mixed and woven into fabric.

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