Conductive Pre-impregnated Composite Sheet for Aerospace Lightning Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aerospace vehicles with composite components face challenges in achieving lightweight lightning strike protection and electromagnetic interference shielding without increasing weight or production costs, as existing solutions often require additional materials that compromise on these factors.
Innovation Solution
A conductive pre-impregnated composite sheet is developed, comprising a fiber-reinforcing sheet and a nanomaterial composite sheet embedded in a resin system, which provides multifunctional shielding against electromagnetic interference, radiation, and lightning strikes, while maintaining structural integrity and reducing weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional materials are applied for lightning strike protection and electromagnetic interference shielding, then protection effectiveness is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines lightning strike protection and electromagnetic interference shielding functions into a single integrated composite sheet. The conductive pre-impregnated composite sheet incorporates conductive fillers (such as carbon fibers, metal particles, or nanomaterials) within the polymer matrix, allowing one material to provide both structural support and electromagnetic shielding/lightning protection functions simultaneously, thereby eliminating the need for separate protective layers and reducing overall weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite sheet is designed to perform multiple functions: structural reinforcement, lightning strike protection, and electromagnetic interference shielding. By incorporating conductive fillers throughout the polymer matrix, the same material provides both mechanical strength and electromagnetic protection capabilities, making it a universal solution that replaces multiple separate components.
2Reliability
If additional materials are applied for lightning strike protection and electromagnetic interference shielding, then protection effectiveness is improved, but production time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges electromagnetic interference shielding and lightning strike protection into a single composite manufacturing process. The conductive pre-impregnated composite sheet is produced by incorporating conductive fillers during the standard composite sheet manufacturing process, allowing both protective functions to be achieved in one production run rather than requiring separate application steps for additional protective materials.
3Reliability
If additional materials are applied for lightning strike protection and electromagnetic interference shielding, then protection effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The composite sheet is designed as a universal material that provides structural support, lightning strike protection, and electromagnetic interference shielding all in one component. This multi-functional design simplifies the overall system by eliminating the need for multiple separate protective layers and materials, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining comprehensive protection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The conductive pre-impregnated composite sheet effectively shields against electromagnetic interference and lightning strikes, enhancing the structural integrity and reducing weight, thus addressing the challenges of additional material requirements in aerospace applications.
Implementation Method 1
a conductive pre-impregnated composite sheet, preferably obtainable by this method... which provides multifunctional shielding against electromagnetic interference, radiation, and lightning strikes
Implementation Method 2
comprising a fiber-reinforcing sheet and a nanomaterial composite sheet embedded in a resin system
Data Source
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AI summary
A method (200) for making a conductive pre-impregnated composite sheet (100) includes the steps of joining a nanomaterial composite sheet (104), a fiber-reinforcing sheet (102) and a resin system (106) to form a combined sheet (158), heating the combined sheet (158), compacting the combined sheet (158), and cooling the combined sheet (158) to form the conductive pre-impregnated composite sheet (100) including the fiber-reinforcing sheet (102), and the nanomaterial composite sheet (104) coupled to the fiber-reinforcing sheet (102), wherein the fiber-reinforcing sheet (102) and the nanomaterial composite sheet (104) are embedded in the resin system (106).