3D composites

Three-dimensional Composites utilize fiber preforms constructed from yarns or tows arranged into complex Three-dimensional structures. These can be created from a 3D weaving process, a 3D braiding process, or a 3D lay of short fibers. A resin is applied to the 3D preform to create the composite material. Three-dimensional Composites are utilized in highly engineered and highly technical applications in order to achieve complex mechanical properties. Three-dimensional composites are engineered to react to stresses and strains in ways that are not possible with traditional composite materials composed of single direction tows, or woven composites, or stacked laminate materials.

3D Woven Composites

Three-dimensional, orthogonal woven fiber preforms are woven structures containing a set of yarn or tows laying in an X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. The orthogonal woven structure affects the physical properties in three planar directions as compared to a traditional woven composite form with yarns laying in only the X-axis and Y-axis. Three Dimensional woven structures can create composite materials with fiber volume fractions around 50% in both 3D unit cell and 3D orthogonal structures.^[1]

Angle-interlock three-dimensional woven structures are also common in order to create much thicker woven preforms. In the interlock structures yarns can be woven from one layer of yarns to another and then back to the original layer to lock adjacent layers to each other. In complex interlock structures yarns may be woven at specified points into several layers in order to join multiple layers. These structures have a great advantage over laminated materials because of their excellent resistance to layer delamination.^[2]

By using jacquard woven techniques such as bifurcation, the 3D woven preforms can be created into nearly endless shapes ranging from a standard I-Beam to a complex Sine-Curve I-Beam, to Aircraft Airfoils, and many other shapes. 3D woven composites, finished with resin transfer molding have been produced larger than 26 feet long.^[3]

Applications of 3D Woven Composites^[4]

• Engine Rotors
• Rocket Nose Cones and Nozzles
• Engine mounts
• Aircraft Framework
• T- and X-shape Panels
• Leading Edges for Aircraft Wing
• I-Beams for Civil Infrastructure

3D Braided Composites

“3D braided fabrics technology is an extension of the well-established 2-D braiding technology wherein the fabric is constructed by the intertwining of two or more yarn systems to form an integral structure.”^[5] Developed in the late 1960s, in an effort to circumvent the problems related to 2D composite laminates yet at the same time retain the benefits of the braiding process.^[6] Braided structures, used as composite preforms, have a number of advantages over other competing processes, such as filament winding and weaving.^[7]

Braided composites have superior toughness and fatigue strength in comparison to filament wound composites. Woven fabrics have orthogonal interlacement while the braids can be constructed over a wide range of angles, from 10 to 858. An additional set of axial yarns can be introduced to the braiding process to produce triaxial braids (Fig. 1); triaxial braids are more stable and exhibit nearly isotropic properties.

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Braids can be produced either as seamless tubes or flat fabrics with a continuous selvedge. Composites produced with the braided preforms exhibit superior strength and crack resistance in comparison to broadcloth composites, due to fiber continuity; Composites with braided holes (Fig.2) exhibit about 1.8 times the strength in comparison to drilled holes, again due to fiber continuity.

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There are two main types of 3D braiders, horn gear and track and column types. Horn gear type 3D braiders use a large number of traditional horn gears for carrier propulsion. By arranging the horn gears in a square, 3D solid braids with a variety of cross-sections (e.g. H section) can be produced. ^[8][9]

Applications of 3D Braided Composites

• Propeller blades, propulsion shafts, propellers
• Truss section decking, landing pads
• Auto bodies, chassis, drive shafts
• Biomedical devices

3D Stitched Composites

The stitching of laminates in the through thickness direction with a high strength thread has proven a simple, low-cost method for producing 3-D composites. The stitching process basically involves sewing high tensile strength yarn (e.g. glass, carbon or Kevlar®), through an uncured prepreg laminate or dry fabric plies using an industrial sewing machine.^[10][11]

Studies report an improvement to in-plane mechanical properties due to stitching, whereas others find unchanged or degraded properties.The data assembled for stitched laminates reveal that the tension, compression, flexure, shear and open-hole strengths are improved or degraded up to 20% by stitching relative to those of unstitched laminates.^[12]

Applications of 3D Stitched Composites

• Lap joints
• Stiffened panels
• Aircraft wing-to-spar joints

3D Z-Pinning

This alternative method to the standard stitching process was first introduced in the late 1980s and was commercially developed by the company Aztex as Z-Fiber™ technology. “This technology consists of embedding previously cured reinforcement fibers into a thermoplastic foam that is then placed on top of a prepreg, or dry fabric, lay-up and vacuum bagged.” 12 The foam will collapse as temperature and pressure are increased, which allows the fibers to be slowly pushed into the lay-up. 3D reinforcement in regards to Z-pinning is necessary to introduce a mechanical link between the different plies of the composite lamina, this link being a stiff carbon fiber rod in Z-pinning. Z-pin (carbon fiber of small diameter embedded in the thickness direction-z) composites are a means to provide higher through-the-thickness stiffness and strength that 2D woven composites do not possess.

Application of 3D Z-Pinned Composites

• Reinforcement of inlet duct skin panels and fastening hat-shaped stiffeners on the F/A- 18 Super Hornet fighter aircraft.^[11]

Resin Application to Three-Dimensional Preforms

Many Three-Dimensional preforms are transformed into complex composite materials when a resin is applied and cured within the preform to create a solid fiber reinforced matrix. The most common form of resin application for 3D preforms is the Resin Transfer Molding process where a mold is created in the shape of a preform and the preform is then placed inside. The mold is closed and then the resin of the matrix material is injected under particular temperature and pressure, then allowed to cure. the mold is then removed from the exterior of the 3D composite material.^[12]

Mechanical Evaluation of 3D Composites vs. 2D Composites

The microstructure of a 3D woven composite is mainly determined by the fiber architecture to the woven preform and weaving process, and to a lesser extent by the process of consolidation.Various types of defects are inadvertently created during the 3D weaving process that can possibly degrade the in-plane, through-thickness, and impact properties of the 3D composite. Research has found that testing various 3D composite materials that “ ...the strength is the same or slightly higher than an equivalent two-dimensional (2D) material.” When compared to a 2D composite, the impact resistance, compression after impact (CAI), and delamination control is significantly improved with a 3D composite without significantly reducing the mechanical properties along the plane.^[13]

References