Material Characterization for Highly Formable TuFF Composites
Abstract
Program Officer: Anisur RahmanDivision 351: Aerospace Structures and MaterialsOffice of Naval ResearchPROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACTTailor,ed Universal Feedstock for Forming (TuFF) is a highly aligned discontinuous fiber composite material platform - developed at Univers,ity of Delaware s Center for Composite Materials - designed for forming processes to meet the requirements of high performance aeros,pace grade composite structures. By maintaining a high degree of alignment and high fiber volume fraction, TuFF composites have been, shown to yield equivalent performance with continuous fiber composites. The discontinuous fiber microstructure allows TuFF composit,e blanks to be stretched in the fiber direction - a development which will greatly expand the envelop of structures which are manufa,cturable with composites. Forming demonstrators have qualitatively shown that fiber alignment and micro-structure are preserved in s,tretch formed parts up to 40% biaxial extension. In order to bring TuFF composites into the next phase of research and development,,this proposal requests equipment for characterizing material forming properties of TuFF composites in order to develop process desig,n tools, such as forming limit diagrams, and material models for forming process simulations. The equipment requested is also intend,ed for research into the develop robust process measurement tools and techniques which can transferred to industry partners to aid i,n process development and material and process analysis.The equipment requested consists of a highly instrumented forming press, des,igned for material characterization in forming processes. The press system includes custom heated tooling, capable of characterizing, PAEK thermoplastic matrix TuFF composites isothermally, up to 425 degrees C. The tooling will be able to perform hot gas bulge test, and Marciniak test in plane strain and biaxial strain configuration. In-situ material visualization will be possible through a sapp,hire sight for digital image correlation and IR inspection. Also requested is an optical metrology platform for measuring material s,urface strain, both in-situ and ex-situ, and full part material thickness in order to characterize full 3D strain in stretch formed,TuFF composites.Approved for Public Release
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 08, 2022
- Source ID
- N000142212124
Entities
People
- Shridhar Yarlagadda
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Delaware