OPTIMIZATION OF THE THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF WOVEN FABRIC COMPOSITES

DUE TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FIBROUS MATERIALS IN SUPPRESSING RADIATIVE ENERGY TRANSPORT, THEY ARE WIDELY USED FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN MANY ENGINEERING SYSTEMS, SUCH AS THE SPACE SHUTTLE THERMAL PROTECTION TILES, LINERS OF COMBUSTION ENGINES, FLEXIBLE HEAT SHIELDS IN REENTRY VEHICLES, ETC. OF PARTICULAR INTEREST IS THE FABRIC INSULATION WHICH CONSISTS OF FIBER BUNDLES WOVEN INTO A MATRIX FORMATION. THE WOVEN FABRIC IS A HIGH-STRENGTH COMPOSITE PARTICULARLY SUITED FOR APPLICATIONS AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES. CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT IN THE INSULATION CAPACITY OF FABRIC COMPOSITES IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THE INCREASINGLY SEVERE THERMAL ENVIRONMENTS OF FUTURE AEROSPACE AND COMBUSTION SYSTEMS. RESEARCH IS DEVELOPING ANALYTICAL MODELS FOR THE DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION OF FABRIC COMPOSITES FOCUSING ON THE MODELING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE RADIATIVE PROPERTIES OF THE CONSTITUENT FIBER BUNDLES.