Due to their high viscosity, thermoplastic composites require higher temperature, higher pressure and longer process time as compared to thermoset composites. In this paper, a fabrication method of fiber reinforced thermoplastics using in-situ polymerizable polyamide 6 as the matrix is presented. This method used vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VaRTM) without large and special equipment. The polyamide 6 was converted from its monomer into thermoplastic polymer with ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactam during the molding process at a lower temperature than its melting temperature. The obtained glass, carbon/and their hybrid fiber reinforced thermoplastics (FRTP) had no voids and unfilled parts because the ε-caprolactam had very low viscosity before polymerization. These FRTP not only exhibited superior mechanical properties, but also are suitable for high-speed molding, namely within one minute process time because it could be released from the mold without a cooling process.

Biological materials are intriguing examples of advanced composites, which are synthesized, controlled and used for an astonishing variety of purposes—structural support, force generation, mass transport, catalysis, or energy conversion. By incorporating concepts from biology and engineering, computational modeling has led the way in identifying the core principles that link the molecular structure of biomaterials at scales of nanometers to macroscopic scales through hierarchical structures. Here we combine experimental studies and in silico models to translate concepts from the living world into material designs that blur the distinction between living and non-living systems, to achieve super material properties despite inferior building blocks.

Glass-workers shape marvelous objects without using moulds or precise temperature control because glass is a unique insoluble material that transforms from liquid to solid in a very progressive way. Vitrimers are organic materials that undergo glass-transition by molecular-network topology freezing and behave just like glass. They could profoundly affect many industries that rely on polymers and composites.

Advanced composites have now been with us for some 50 years, and their rate of adoption has increased dramatically in recent years. Since the very beginning it has been clear that composites can offer significant benefits, all essentially linked to the fact that raw material and final structure are created at the same time. But the complexity that leads to this benefit has also been the root cause of the risk and uncertainty that has plagued their adoption. In this context, this lecture traces the history of composites research and innovation in Canada. The aim is not only to honour the contributions of the 2013 Scala Awardee, Dr. Ken Street, but also to start a dialogue on key indicators and issues that have affected composites research and innovation over the last 50 years.

Carbon fiber has been used in automotive area to reduce part weight and improve performance. In the decade, various attempts to make carbon fiber from resources to save carbon footprints such as lignin. Carbon fiber reinforcement and thermosetting resins is among the most popular choice of impregnates to make SMC and has excellent properties instead. In addition, carbon fiber can also be chopped and compounded with thermoplastics such as PP, PLA etc to produce high thermal resistance composites use for automotive area. The use of biological resources derived carbon fiber not only help reduce the dependence of advanced composites on the volatile cost of petroleum, and thereby helping to reduce the cost of composite materials for automotive, but also help achieve sustainability of green car. In this talk, carbon fiber in composites for automotive will be addressed and give us an overview of its development in recent years.

The interaction of different mechanisms is very important in controlling failure in composites. Discrete failures initiating at features such as ply drops, free edges and notches play a key role, together with defects such as waviness that develops during the manufacturing process. The implications of these phenomena for predicting failure are considered.

As the use of carbon composites increases in the primary and secondary structures of aircraft, so does the need for EMI shielding and lightning strike protection, fire retardation, noise reduction and thermal managements etc. This talk will report new concept to make high-performance structural composites multifunctional by micro-nano-cross-scale synergic effect.

This presentation will highlight recent development of a stretchable sensor network technology for making multifunctional materials possible in a large scale potentially for practical applications. Composite materials embedded with such a network could monitor their own health throughout their life cycle. Prosthetic skins embedded with the network could tremendously enhance the intelligence of a robot wearing such as a skin. However, design, fabrication and characterization of this new class of the materials involve multiple disciplines across the engineering fields and a paradigm change from traditional design and manufacturing principles. New challenges in research, education and implementation of the materials will be discussed.

The potential of using CNTs in a continuous form would enable their adaptation to many well-developed composites processing, characterization and micromechanics methodologies. The current experimental and analytical research efforts provide fundamental understanding of the electromechanical behavior of CNT fibers and facilitate future optimal design of their performance in multifunctional composites.

 

In the Keynote presentation, introduction of KARI (Korea Aerospace Research Institute) where the most of all the national aerospace system developments like aircrafts, satellites and rockets will first be done. Next, the representative applications of composite materials to the aerospace systems that KARI is currently developing. And then the detailed special visit to the past and current development history of HSTS(High Stability Telescope Structures) for the high resolution EO (Electronic Optical) Cameras of KARI KOMSAT(Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite) LEO(Low Earth Orbit) observation satellites will follow.

The area of multifunctional structures has become prominent in the last few years with a number of definitions and concepts being put forth. The most popular definition is a structure that has the ability to perform multiple tasks through judicious combinations of structural integrity with specific functional properties dictated by the system requirements. Among various visionary contexts for developing a new generation of multifunctional structures, the most revolutionary one appears to be “autonomic” systems that can sense, diagnose and respond to external stimuli with minimal intervention. Our research vision is additionally inspired by the way in which nature uses stimuli‐responsive biomolecules to incorporate autonomic behavior in cellular systems. Noting the ability of cellular systems to communicate via charge and mass transport at cellular interfaces, the researchers try to create a new class of material systems that incorporate one or more internal networks of biomolecules whose transport properties can be controlled by external stimuli. Each of the cited examples points the values of a truly autonomic system capable of multiple functions to survive its operating condition and environment for longer periods of time than the traditional structures can endure.

Stimulus Responsive Polymer and Composites are materials that have one or more properties can be significantly changed in a controlled fashion by external stimuli. Recently, a number of types of Stimulus Responsive Polymer and composites have been extensively developed on both materials innovation and applications exploration. This presentation mainly focuses on recent progresses of Shape Memory Polymer (SMP), and SMP based multifunctional composites, as well as their applications in aerospace, astronautics and biomedical engineering, etc..

Research supported by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), aimed at the establishment of the scientific basis for the effective design and utilization of future composite ship structures, will be discussed. Ship structures operate in severe environments, in the presence of high humidity, sea-water, temperature extremes, hydrostatic pressure, and dynamic loading (wave loading, high sea states). In addition, Naval structures are designed to resist highly dynamic loads, including shock, blast, and implosions. Research aimed at the scientific understanding of these issues, and examples of recent research accomplishments, will be provided.

Joining is an important step in manufacturing of aerospace thermoplastic composite structures. In general, joining of thermoplastic composites can be categorized into mechanical fastening, adhesive bonding, and fusion bonding or welding. Fusion bonding or welding has great potential for joining, assembly, and repair of thermoplastic composite components and offers many advantages over other joining techniques. This presentation addresses critical technical aspects of the fusion bonding process such as, heat generation at the weld interface, process modeling, process methodology, process parameters, mechanical performance, and automation. At the end, it presents the areas of improvement for further development and advancement in this field.