Abstract
This paper presents the results of a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program to demonstrate the feasibility of developing faster, more economical manufacturing techniques for filament wound composite motorcases for small diameter tactical rocket motors. The primary focus of this research was to evaluate the electron-beam (E-beam) curing process for filament wound graphite/epoxy pressure vessels. Different E-beam curable resin formulations were developed and a candidate low-cost urethane foam mandrel material was selected for fabrication and testing of prototype pressure vessels. Prototype 14.60 cm diameter pressure vessels were filament wound, cured and pressure tested to demonstrate manufacturing feasibility and to compare the structural performance of the E-beam resin formulations vs. a baseline thermally cured IM7 graphite/epoxy material system. Results of the burst testing demonstrated that the burst pressures and delivered strengths for the E-beam cured pressure vessels compared very favorably to those for the baseline thermally cured pressure vessels. Post-test examination also indicated higher strain-to-failure capability for three of the E-beam resin formulations.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | I/- |
| Journal | International SAMPE Symposium and Exhibition (Proceedings) |
| Volume | 44 |
| State | Published - 1999 |
| Externally published | Yes |
| Event | Proceedings of the 1999 44th International SAMPE Symposium and Exhibition 'Envolving and Revolutionary Technologies for the New Millennium', SAMPE '99 - Long Beach, CA, USA Duration: May 23 1999 → May 27 1999 |
