Aerodine designs many of the advanced composites for high-temperature environments. High temperatures are always a concern, especially in aerospace. Special care needs to be taken to ensure such composites can withstand high temperatures without loss of performance and material degradation.
Below is a description of the most pressing challenges manufacturers face when developing advanced composites for high-temperature environments. When manufacturers rise to the occasion, they produce composites capable of truly amazing things.
Design complexity is part of the equation when designing high-temperature composites. Therefore, material selection can be challenging. Engineers need to select the right combination of materials that balances thermal stability, mechanical strength, and environmental resistance.
In addition, they need to account for precise control of filler orientation and distribution. Engineers must manage strong interfacial adhesion to ensure that finished materials do not exhibit the poor stress transfer that so often leads to premature failure.
Excessive heat during processing can actually lead to thermal degradation before a material ever comes off the production line. Excessive heat degrades matrix materials. It weakens the finished composite.
Hand-in-hand with excessive heat is inconsistent heat, which can lead to product defects including delamination and material voids. Engineers need to be diligent in controlling heat during processing. Advanced monitoring helps.
Next up are the difficulties that come with manufacturing advanced composites on a tight schedule. Certain types of composites require longer production times than others. For example, ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) require specialized knowledge and multiple high-temp thermal cycles during manufacturing. Longer production times are expected. The same goes for more complex processes.
Composites intended for high-temperature environments must be balanced in terms of both mechanical and thermal stress. When you have a mismatch, which is to say differences in thermal expansion coefficients, you get problems.
Mismatches result in micro-cracking, delamination, and a reduction in mechanical properties. Any such problems are only exacerbated with thermal cycling and stable high temperature exposure.
Certain types of manufacturing processes can contribute to service defects. Additive manufacturing is a perfect example. It can lead to excess porosity and surface cracks, neither of which is friendly to high temperature environments. Both are a serious threat to material performance.
It goes without saying that cost is always a challenge when manufacturing advanced composites for high temperature environments. Between specialized raw materials and equipment, starting costs can be relatively high. Smaller batches can be more expensive because you are not manufacturing at scale.
Yet with scalability comes additional costs, at least upfront. The costs can be absorbed once full-scale production is reached. In the interim, budgets can be stretched to the point of making even the most willing spenders a bit nervous.
Last but not least, environmental and sustainability concerns are part and parcel of manufacturing advanced composites. For example, petroleum-based polymers and synthetic fibers need to be handled with care. Improperly disposing of waste generated during manufacturing poses significant environmental challenges. As the industry gradually transitions to more eco-friendly green composites, the environmental and sustainability concerns should wane.
Manufacturing advanced composites for high temperature environments is not easy. If it were, everyone would be doing it. Here at Aerodine, advanced composites are our specialty. We invite you to contact us to learn more about our facilities, manufacturing processes, and general approach to composite manufacturing. We serve a variety of industries with cutting edge composites that are changing the world.
