MICROWAVE NDE SENSOR FOR IN-PROCESS CONTROL IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON-CARBON COMPOSITES

THE INTELLIGENT PROCESSING OF MATERIALS IS A NOVEL CONCEPT IN MATERIALS PROCESSING IN WHICH INFORMATION FROM REAL TIME, IN-SITU MICROSTRUCTURAL SENSORS AND PROCESS MODELS ARE COMBINED WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE APPROACHES TO CONTROL A MATERIALS PROCESS. THE INSITU SENSORS ARE A KEY TO THIS TECHNOLOGY SINCE INFORMATION ABOUT THE "STATE" OF THE MATERIAL MUST BE ASCERTAINED. THEREFORE, THIS PROPOSAL WILL EXAMINE THE USE OF MICROWAVE ABSORBTION FOR THE IN-SITU MONITORING OF CARBON CARBON PROCESSING. THE DIELECTRIC BEHAVIOR OF POLYMERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO BE USEFUL IN MONITORING THEIR CURE. THE USE OF MICROWAVE ENERGY AS A MEANS TO GET AT THIS AND OTHER ELECTRONIC PARAMETERS WHICH MAY BE DIRECTLY RELATABLE TO MATERIALS PROPERTIES IS A UNIQUE APPROACH WHICH DESERVES ATTENTION. THERE ARE TWO KEY TECHNICAL ISSUES INVOLVED IN THIS EFFORT. HOW FAR CAN ONE GO IN THE PROCESS BEFORE THE CARBON-CARBON BECOMES TOO CONDUCTIVE AND CAN ONE CREATE A MICROWAVE CAVITY IN THE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT. THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO A WIDE RANGE OF DOD AND COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS FOR DETERMINING FEATURES OF THE MATERIAL MAKES THIS RESEARCH VERY INTERESTING AND WORTHY OF SUPPORT.