The British company Victrex cooperated with French aircraft manufacturer and equipment supplier Daher to produce 176-layer laminate structure aircraft siding with a thickness of 32 mm (1.26 inches). Both companies pointed out that this cooperation stems from the need for faster aircraft production technology.
The two parties use thermoplastic composite materials based on VICTREX AE 250 UDT (PAEK polyaryl ether ketone) and automatic fiber placement (AFP) technology, and then cure in a vacuum oven or non-autoclave (OOA), and the resulting thermoplastic siding can be obtained before Unachievable thickness can meet the quality requirements of aerospace. This will provide the global aerospace industry with key advantages in major structural applications.
The size of the siding is 120×60 cm (47×24 inches) and the thickness is 32 mm (1.26 inches), which is much thicker than traditional flat siding. It also shows the ability of lamination and variable thickness. 176-layer structure The ultra-thick thickness can be achieved by laying AFP and high-quality unidirectional tape (UD), thereby eliminating the need for autoclave curing.
The new composite panel meets the standards of the aerospace industry for porosity, crystallinity, consolidation and layer bonding materials. Specifically, the panel has a porosity of less than 1% and a crystallinity of 25% to 30%. In addition to reducing weight, reducing fuel consumption and lowering operating costs, it can also increase productivity and better protect the environment.
In addition, Victrex's AE 250 UDT can be baked at 280°C (536°F). Its melting point is relatively low at 305°C (517°F) instead of the 345°C (653°F) of polyetheretherketone (PAEK), which can speed up the bonding process and increase the overall efficiency of aircraft production. Compared with metal, its material advantages include 5 times higher specific strength and specific stiffness, and 4 times higher fatigue resistance. Corrosion resistance, processability and thermal insulation have also been improved, while impact resistance, chemical resistance and damage resistance are similar to metals.
In addition, compared with thermosetting solutions, PAEK composites can be completely recycled and have up to 10 times better damage resistance, as well as higher chemical resistance, fatigue performance and FST (flame/smoke/toxicity) Performance, and still comparable to the strength and stiffness of thermoset materials. The main features of Victrex's AE 250 composite material also include excellent high temperature performance and thermal stability, extensive chemical resistance to aviation fluids and gases, and excellent hydrolysis and corrosion resistance.