Morphological analysis of aeronautic composites: C-Scan method

• Grant number: 08/00227-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2008
• End date: July 31, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Aerospace Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Maria Odila Hilário Cioffi
• Grantee: Giovâni Herom Santos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEG). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Guaratinguetá. Guaratinguetá , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 06/02121-6 - Composite processing by RTM, AP.JP

Abstract

Composites used as structural components, mainly reinforced by carbon fiber, allow a significant weight reduction and contribute for an improvement in the corrosion and fatigue resistance of an infinity of components from branded-new aircrafts, marine oil platform, satellites, submarines, rockets, automobile, among others applications. The study regarding of production, analysis and high quality composites obtainment are increasing as the time goes by, and more and more it's made needful the development of new production techniques and quality control methods. Actual processes, which use open moulds should be avoided due to certain kind of consequences as work place contamination. The resin transfer molding process (RTM) is promising one as it follows security, reproducibility and low cost standards, important to the national aeronautical industry. It deals about a resin transfer molding process using a closed mould with a preform inside, the resin presents low viscosity and it's used at low pressures. Such process is promising for polymeric composites components with complex geometry that demands high quality finishing and unlimited dimension. Closed mould utilization brings, in consequence, edge effect making necessary a quality control method to analysis of reinforcements impregnation. Among defects that can occur in the process, it's detached the void formation, because this kind of defect has hard prevention and can occur all over the composite. For analysis and verification of thermosetting matrix composites, with focus in this work, it's going to be used acoustic microscopy inspection (C-scan), equipment acquired by FATIGUE AND AERONAUTICAL METERIALS GROUP through the FAPESP process number 2006/02121-6.Non-destructive analysis by C-scan method is made through relative attenuations of ultrasonic waves that pass along the composite surface being an ultrasonic transducer used to make a scanning in the material. The component is immersed in a water tank producing with the transductor an environmental to the ultrasonic wave transmission. (AU)