Producibility Considerations for Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Prepregs for Use in Aerospace Propulsion Structures

This paper presents an overview of the types of data and information needed to use a composite prepreg in commercial aircraft propulsion structures applications. The intention of this overview is to aid the composites community in developing a more complete understanding of the types of characterization needed to implement new prepreg materials on next generation composite propulsion structures. A review of typical production-level composite acoustic panel fabrication, and the resulting producibility aspects requiring characterization, will first be given for a typical 350°F autoclave-cure prepreg. A general test methodology for a selection of mechanical properties, thermal properties, compatibility verifications, and producibility aspects will be presented along with examples for one or more composite prepreg forms. The intention of this discussion is to provide an understanding of current propulsion concerns, and the often heavily experimental methods of addressing them, in order to provide background for further innovation in the field of composites testing and characterization by the composites community.