Nickel nanostrands were mixed or infused into Hysol 9396 aerospace epoxy resin and the mechanical and electrical properties of the nickel-containing epoxy resin investigated. The effects of nickel nanostrand loading level, mode of incorporation of the nickel nanostrands into the epoxy resin and magnetic orientation of the nickel nanostrands within the resin matrix on mechanical and electrical properties were examined and fracture surfaces of the nickel nanostrand-containing epoxy resin characterised by electron microscopy. 9 refs.

The shielding effectiveness and electrical conductivity of carbon fibre-reinforced epoxy composites were investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The effects of fibre orientation and total composite thickness on shielding effectiveness were examined by electrical measurements and theoretical modelling and the dominant mechanism of electromagnetic interference shielding identified as absorption. 11 refs.

Examples of applications in the aerospace and automotive industries are presented, demonstrating how new software enables composite designers and manufacturing engineers to more efficiently and reliably work together using an integrated Design for Manufacturing process. Three areas of major progress in composite design and manufacturing are covered, namely automated deposition methods, forming and stamping and assembly design, and Vistagy's Aircraft Design Environment is introduced as an example of a specialised computer aided design environment for efficient and consistent definition of composite assemblies. 3 refs.

Unidirectional carbon fibre reinforced epoxy straps intended as fatigue crack growth retarders for aircraft construction were bonded to centre cracked aluminium panels with an epoxy paste adhesive and subjected to mechanical testing and parametric analysis to establish the effects of adhesive properties, bonding procedure, strap material and geometry. The mode of failure of the straps was also investigated and finite element models of the substrate-adhesive-strap system incorporating a delamination formed as a crack tip encountered the edge of the strap and continued to grow as the tip traversed the strap developed to calculate crack tip stress intensity factors operating in the strap region. 18 refs.

The chemistries of silicone and film adhesives are described and the characteristics of a new silicone film adhesive, which combines low outgas properties required for space applications with consistent bond thickness, are reported. The new film adhesive is compared with a low outgas liquid adhesive and is considered suitable for various applications common to satellite manufacturing. 7 refs.

The feasibility of developing a sprayable Chromium-Free Permanent Primer (CFPP) coating system, which consists of a commercial chromium-free, functional conversion coat, an abrasion-resistant PU elastomer permanent primer layer containing a chromium-free corrosion inhibitor, which forms chemical bonds with the conversion coat and a topcoat, and a conventional aircraft topcoat, is demonstrated. This CFPP coating system is shown to exhibit higher abrasion resistance against plastic media blasting than the topcoat, permitting selective stripping of the topcoat without removal of the primer or conversion coating. The topcoat may be selectively stripped off when required and a fresh topcoat reapplied, making the aircraft ready to fly again. 7 refs.

Development of a new panel material for use in bulkhead and structural flooring in aircraft, using glass reinforced polymer faced sheets with a foam core and a Kevlar ballistic resistant backing is described. Panels were infiltrated with a fire retardant resin, and were evaluated for their fire resistance, toxicity in fires, mechanical strength and ballistic resistance according to National Institute of Justice and ASTM standards. 0 refs.

Use of grippers, made by the author's company, in a composite laminating process is discussed. Needle grippers are claimed to damage the composite materials far less than the stitching processes employed in preparation of sandwich structures for aircraft sub-assemblies. 5 refs.

Use of a resin infusion process integrated with flexible tooling and preform fabrication allows autoclave assembly of integrally stiffened composite airframe structures. Mechanical design concepts behind the approach were explained, with materials, joint configurations and manufacturing methods discussed. Patents on the process, named the HyPerVARTM process have been applied for. 2 refs.

It was shown that, using new resin and preform technologies which were briefly reviewed, components with equivalent mechanical properties to those made using conventional prepreg techniques could be manufactured using vacuum-assisted resin transfer moulding (VARTM). Properties of resins used, and comparative mechanical results with two different resin systems were tabulated. 4 refs.

Tailored composite structures were prepared using a preform of layers of a uni-weave carbon fibre fabric coated with tackifier, followed by impregnation by resin using a modified vacuum-assisted resin transfer moulding process (VARTM). Better mechanical properties were found in the composite than in an equivalent structure prepared by a commercial resin infusion process, due to the increase in fibre volume obtained in the VARTM process. A model developed to predict infiltration times was evaluated visually using a transparent mould and SAE40 engine oil to simulate the resin, and was found to be accurate. 7 refs.

Repair to a reinforced concrete pier cap on a bridge, damaged due to corrosion of the steel reinforcement, with a glass fibre reinforced polyester cap moulded in situ using a vacuum bagging method is described. The repair proved that the vacuum bagging technique, commonly used in the aerospace industry, could be used successfully on weathered concrete surfaces for repair of civil structures. Methods used such as cleaning, priming, fabric application etcetera were described. 8 refs.

Design parameters and initial testing of sandwich panels for use in rapid aircraft parking ramp expansion situations are reported. Two systems are being evaluated, one using panels made in batches by a resin transfer moulding process, the other using panels prepared by pultrusion; Independent modelling and analysis was supplied by a university, and some results are reported. Future developments and requirements are discussed. 2 refs.

The development of a new type of thermal radiator to provide cooling for a spacecraft or spacecraft subsystem is described. It consists of a very thin, flexible composite laminate fabricated from composite material incorporating high thermal conductivity pitch fibres and a space-qualified polymer resin system. It is fabricated as a flat panel and experiences negligible stresses and imparts negligible loads to the spacecraft. Prototypes have been tested and the results are reported. 7 refs.

The effects of processing parameters on the mechanical properties of carbon/polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) thermoplastic composite laminates is described. Flat laminates are processed by compression moulding and the tensile strength and moduli determined. SEM is used to observe the different microstructures arising from the different processing conditions. Optimum properties for the laminates are established. The range of parameters can serve as a guide to consolidate carbon/PEKK laminates for high performance aerospace applications. 9 refs.