CarboSpace Carbon Nanotube Enhanced Polymer Composite Materials for Space Applications Project Data Project Management Astrium GmbH, DDr. Hans Georg Wulz Project Partners FutureCarbon GmbH, INVENT GmbH, DLR Braunschweig and HPS GmbH Project Duration 3 yrs, start: February 2009, end: April 2012 Project Objectives Improvement of properties of composite materials for aerospace application by incorporation of CNTs. Development of CNT-modified carbon fiber reinforced composite materials (CNT-CFRPs, “nano composites”) based upon thermoset materials, a) CNT-epoxy LY556 (max. service temp. 150°C) and b) CNT-cyanate ester PT-30 (max. temp. 250°C), with improved material properties to enable very light-weight construction and long-life operation Results: CNT-Composite Material Development, Achieved Improvement Two types of CNT-Thermoset Composite Materials A) C arbon F iber R einforced P olymer Composite Material (CFRP) based upon CNT-Epoxy LY556, max. service temperature: 150°C B) Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite Material based upon CNT-Cyanatester PT-30, max. service temperature: 250°C CNT- Epoxy LY556 CFRP Improvements of material properties achieved (verified by tests at RT and at 100°C) by dispersion of 0,5 w% of functionalized CNTs: ILSS by > 50%, Toughness by > 30%, Strain at Break by ~ 100%, Fatigue by > 100 % Manufacturing process applied: Production of UD-prepregs by fiber winding and application of CNT-epoxy resin, lay-up of UD-prepregs (plane laminate) or winding of cylindrical objects; struts; modified curing cycle. Diversification, Spin-off Application of improved CNT-CFRPs for the production of enhanced products with improved strength, reduced mass (extreme lightweight construction), toughness and long life for future aeronautics and automotive, transport, clean/green energy production and storage. struts; modified curing cycle. Results of CNTs with “small aspect ratio” (“Short CNTs”): Chopped CNTs (by ball milling) result in less increase of viscosity than that of CNTs as produced. Improvement of fabrication of CFRP structures, in particular, facilitation of resin application/injection. CNT- Cyanate Ester PT-30 CFRP Improvements achieved of material characteristics (verified by tests at RT and at 300°C) by dispersion of 0,5 w% of functionalized CNTs: ILSS and strain at break by 50% at temperature limit of about 250°C, fatigue by tbd % (test planned) Manufacturing process applied: Preparation of prepregs by application of an industrial process of infiltration of carbon fabric by modified CNT-cyanate ester resin PT-30; Manufacture of test laminates and test bodies by lamination technique with prepregs; modified curing cycle. Potential Field of Application of Carbon Fiber Reinforced CNT-Thermoset Composite Materials in Spacecrafts. Picture: Telecom Satellite, Astrium Corporate Improved material properties demonstrated on material system HTA/epoxy LY556 modified by dispersion of 0,5 w% functionalized carbon nanotubes Pictures with courtesy of: Hyun Dae Kim, NASA Glenn Research Center, Distributed Propulsion Vehicles, 27th International Congress of the Aeronautical Sciences, Nice, 2010