Title: An Approach to the Repair of Thermoplastic Composites Using Resistance Welding with a Hybrid Heating Element

Authors: Barroeta Robles, Guthrie, Dubé, M., Hubert, Yousefpour

DOI: 10.33599/nasampe/s.22.0684

Abstract: The advancement of fusion bonding has enabled the assembly of thermoplastic composites (TPC’s) in aircraft structures. However, to be able to take full advantage of these materials, a viable methodology for repair is required. While this methodology is not clear at the present time, fusion bonding has been identified as a potential solution for the repair of these structures. In the past, the ThermabondTM technique along with resistance heating was used to perform a repair. This technique consists of co-consolidating a layer of poly-ether-imide (PEI) polymer film with a poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) substrate prior to the joining operation. The objective of this work is to conduct a preliminary investigation using resistance welding to evaluate the performance of carbon fibre (CF) PEEK substrates using different configurations of resin films (i.e., PEI and PEEK) with a stainless steel (SS) mesh heating element (HE). Slow and fast voltage ramps are used without previously co-consolidating the polymer film nor preparing the surface of the substrate. The interfaces are observed and the samples are tested in shear to evaluate the overall performance and quality of the PEEK and PEI bond. Adding a second layer of PEI resin on each side of the SS mesh resulted in better mechanical performance with lower target temperatures when compared to the specimens welded with a single layer of PEI. Interfaces are visible between the substrate and the resin film layers surrounding the SS HE for all of the studied configurations, which would require further investigation to understand the mechanisms taking place when welding using dissimilar polymers.

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Conference: SAMPE 2022

Publication Date: 2022/05/23

SKU: TP22-0000000684

Pages: 13

Price: $26.00