Stitching Yarn Linear Expansion Coefficient for Composite Microcrack Suppression

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Solution Overview

Problem

Fiber reinforced composite materials produced using stitched fiber-reinforced substrates often suffer from microcrack formation at the interface between stitching yarn and matrix resin, leading to reduced mechanical properties.

Innovation Solution

The use of stitching yarns with a linear expansion coefficient between -1×10^-6 and 70×10^-6/K after heating at 180°C for 2 hours and cooling, which reduces internal stress and interfacial delamination, thereby suppressing microcrack formation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If stitching yarn is used to integrate reinforcement fiber sheets, then the fiber-reinforced substrate material can be formed with high mechanical properties, but microcracks are generated around the stitching yarn which lowers the mechanical properties

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical propertiesVSAvoidmicrocrack formation
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the stitching yarn by controlling its linear expansion coefficient to be within -50 to 50×10^-6/K after heating at 180°C for 2 hours. This parameter change ensures that the stitching yarn's thermal expansion behavior matches the matrix resin, preventing differential expansion stresses that would otherwise cause microcracks during curing and cooling processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of thermal expansion differences into a beneficial outcome by selecting stitching yarns with specifically controlled linear expansion coefficients. The stitching yarn's thermal expansion behavior is matched to the matrix resin, transforming what would be a source of stress and microcracking into a compatible thermal response that maintains interfacial integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a stitching yarn with small yarn count (30 dTex or less) is used, then microcrack formation can be suppressed, but the interfacial adhesiveness between stitching yarn and matrix resin is still insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemicrocrack formationVSAvoidinterfacial adhesiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the critical parameter of linear expansion coefficient control for stitching yarns, specifying a range of -50 to 50×10^-6/K after heating at 180°C for 2 hours. This parameter change addresses the root cause of microcrack formation (thermal expansion mismatch) without being limited by yarn count restrictions, thereby enabling both microcrack suppression and adequate interfacial adhesiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

This approach significantly reduces microcrack formation in the fiber reinforced composite material, maintaining high mechanical properties and improving interfacial adhesiveness between the stitching yarn and matrix resin.

Implementation Method 1

the stitching yarn has a linear expansion coefficient in the fiber axial direction of -1×10^-6 to 70×10^-6/K after heated at 180°C for 2 hours and cooled

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentEP4112794B1Stitched reinforcing fiber base material, preform material, fiber reinforced composite material, and manufacturing methods for same
Publication Date: 2024.07.31 TEIJIN LTD

AI summary

An object of the present invention is to provide a stitched fiber-reinforced substrate material capable of suppressing the formation of microcracks in a fiber reinforced composite material. The stitched fiber-reinforced substrate material of the present invention is a fiber-reinforced substrate material formed by stitching reinforcement fiber sheets made of reinforcement fibers using stitching yarns, and the stitching yarn has a linear expansion coefficient in the fiber axial direction of -1×10-6 to 70×10-6/K after heated at 180°C for 2 hours and then cooled. The stitching yarn is preferably a stitching yarn to which an organic compound having a polar group is adhered.