Flame-Retardant CFRP Liquid Oxygen Tank Material for Ignition Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Carbon fiber reinforced plastics are prone to ignition when exposed to liquid oxygen, posing a risk of explosion, and thus cannot be used for liquid oxygen tanks.
Innovation Solution
A fire retardant carbon fiber reinforced plastic is developed using carbon fibers with a tensile elasticity of 700 GPa or more, combined with fire retardant resins like polycarbonate, polyether ether ketone, or polytetrafluoroethylene, which significantly reduces the ignition probability even in the presence of liquid oxygen.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If carbon fiber reinforced plastic is used for liquid oxygen tanks, then weight is reduced and strength is improved, but ignition risk increases due to impact energy from liquid oxygen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the material system by selecting specific resin types (polycarbonate, polyether ether ketone, polytetrafluoroethylene) with inherent fire retardant properties and controlling their composition ratios. This transforms the material's ignition resistance parameter while maintaining the lightweight and high-strength characteristics of carbon fiber reinforced plastic, thereby resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and ignition risk reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining carbon fiber reinforcement with fire retardant resin matrices. This composite structure leverages the high strength-to-weight ratio of carbon fiber while the resin matrix provides fire retardancy and impact energy absorption, simultaneously achieving weight reduction, strength improvement, and ignition risk mitigation
2Strength
If conventional carbon fiber reinforced plastic is used, then specific strength is improved, but reliability decreases due to explosion risk in liquid oxygen environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful impact energy from liquid oxygen that normally causes ignition into beneficial energy absorption through the fire retardant resin's controlled deformation and energy dissipation mechanisms. The resin matrix absorbs impact energy through viscoelastic deformation and crack propagation resistance, transforming potentially harmful impact energy into harmless thermal energy, thereby improving reliability while maintaining high specific strength
Solution Approach 2:
The fire retardant resin acts as an intermediary between the carbon fiber reinforcement and the liquid oxygen environment. It mediates the interaction by providing a protective barrier that prevents direct contact between liquid oxygen and carbon fiber, absorbing impact energy, and suppressing ignition propagation, thereby enhancing safety reliability while preserving the high specific strength of the composite structure
Data Source
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AI summary
To provide a fire retardant material that can be sued to a light weight structure where fire retardancy is required, such as liquid oxygen tank storing liquid having a high oxidation property. [Solving means] It is a fire retardant material comprising a carbon fiber which tensile elasticity is 700 GPa or more, and a fire retardant resin such as polycarbonate.