Research Information System
1st International Conference on Engineering and Applied Natural Sciences, Konya, Turkey, 10 May 2022, pp.1
Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) is an automated manufacturing technique that can produce large-scale structural composite structures in a repeatable manner with high production rates, especially for the aerospace industry. This technique gained more attention by adopting a high-performance thermoplastic (TP) matrix, which provides improved durability, toughness, and recyclability with limitless shelf life. However, in the aerospace industry, TP composite structures are exposed to a hot-wet environment; thus, it is critical to evaluate the performance of structures under representative service conditions. In this study, the effect of AFP process parameters, including lay-up velocity and consolidation pressure, on the service performance of CF/PEKK composites after short-term hydrothermal aging was presented. To simulate the hydrothermal aging process, composite laminates were aged in a water bath at 70°C for 30 days, which results in an average of 0.17% water absorption. Hydrothermal aging of TP composites was evaluated with thermomechanical analysis, which exhibited a drop in storage modulus and glass transition temperature by an average of 18.5 and 9%, respectively. These findings were further elaborated with optical microscopy for void content and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and dynamic scanning calorimetry analyses. Consequently, the low lay-up velocity and high consolidation pressure decreased the destructive effects of hydrothermal aging for CF/PEKK composite structures.