Industrial CFRP large part fabrication with the innovative hephaistos-CA2 microwave processing system

Summary form only given. A novel industrial microwave system HEPHAISTOS-CA2 (high electromagnetic power heating automated injected structures oven system) for curing of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) has been developed at Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (FZK). The system is based on the HEPHAISTOS-CA1 prototype system at FZK which has been evaluated for the application in composite manufacturing together with EADS Corporate Research Centre and the Institute of Aircraft Design (University of Stuttgart). The system, which has been taken successfully in operation at the end of 2005 integrates advantageously the basic processing steps such as tooling, tempering of the resin and lay up, the impregnation of the fibres, pre-forming techniques as well as finally the process curing of the composite structures. The growth of composites applications is especially based in part on the greater design space provided by the anisotropic nature of fibre-reinforced laminates. In the same way the design degrees of freedom can be further expanded by the application of nano-particle modifications. It is a basic research field, to understand the structural enhancements obtained using the HEPHAISTOS-CA2 system and to optimize selectively these properties by specific nanomodifiers. Blending of nano-additives to get an optimized suite of properties can be applied to thermoplastics, thermosets, adhesives, elastomers, fibre precursors, sealants, coatings, foam, etc. to achieve new designable properties. The challenge in the next years will be the combination of novel industrial microwave processing technology with nano-scaled modifiers. Basic challenges such as functionalization and dispersion of nano particles have to be solved as well as the production insertion of nano-enhanced composite materials which will involve focused use of technology, high quality, speed, lower costs, and innovative business development for both the industry and the customers. The addition of very small amounts of nano-particles can have a significant effect on the material properties (e.g. ferrites, carbon-nanotubes (CNT), coated graphite etc.) and will enhance the material quality of large parts for aeronautical industries