Development of Elastic Memory Composite Stiffeners for a Flexible Precision Reflector

Abstract

Features current applications-oriented information on composites manufacturing and covers methods, processes and industry news. Feature articles include updates on the latest manufacturing research, tutorials on a particular manufacturing technology and field reports on installed manufacturing technologies, all from a technical perspective. Each issue also includes additional brief articles, product announcements and event listings. 2nd Quarter 2007 Volume 23 No. 2 Content Online 1. Development of Elastic Memory Composite Stiffeners for a Flexible Precision Reflector 2. NEWSLINE 3. CALENDAR OF EVENTS .

Bending shape recovery of unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced epoxy-based shape memory polymer composites

“…These latter papers could be broadly divided into two categories: one related to unidirectional fiber reinforced SMP composites and their microstructural mechanisms occurring during bending [7,8,10,[14][15][16][17][18]. The other group of papers concerns the analysis of the thermo-mechanical behavior of fabric reinforced SMP composites [11][12][13][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. Since 1999, Composite Technology Development, Inc. has been developing SMPs and related fiber reinforced composites (Elastic Memory Composite, EMC) [7,8,14,15,20].…”

“…The other group of papers concerns the analysis of the thermo-mechanical behavior of fabric reinforced SMP composites [11][12][13][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. Since 1999, Composite Technology Development, Inc. has been developing SMPs and related fiber reinforced composites (Elastic Memory Composite, EMC) [7,8,14,15,20]. Papers generated by teams of researchers associated to the company have focused on the out-of-plane and in-plane buckling of unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced EMCs [14,15].…”

“…As stated above, the thermo-mechanical behavior of SMP composites is an object of interest for several research teams [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]. Early works have focused on the evaluation of prototypes making use of the SMP effect, like furlable truss boom [7], EMC hinge [8], and reflector [20]. In those studies emphasis was placed on the packaging and other factors like deployment torque, precision, and repeatability.…”

Concepts for morphing airfoil sections using bi-stable laminated composite structures

“…Bi-stable and multi-stable structures are currently used for deployable space structure applications [17][18][19][20][21]. A morphing concept [1] was proposed based on bi-stable composites actuated by devices such as piezoceramic or shape memory alloy actuators.…”

Effect of reinforcing layer on shape fixity and time-dependent deployment in shape-memory polymer textile composites

“…Reinforcement by hard materials such as fibers improves the stiffness of SMPs [14]. Shape-memory polymer composites (SMPCs) are expected to be applied in such aerospace structures as hinges, booms, reflectors and mandrels [3,[15][16][17][18][19][20][21].…”