Thermally Insulated Flexible Composite Cores for Aerospace Applications

Aerospace composite panels containing a core structure usually use an expanded honeycomb of either aluminum, NOMEX, or carbon fiber. These types of composite panels are often used as structure since the honey-comb core provides stiffness in the "Z" direction. However, they provide no thermal insulation value. Aerospace craft operating both inside and outside the earth's atmosphere experience environmental extremes which greatly tax the designer 's ability to achieve a balanced thermodynamic vehicle design. The contractor proposes a different concept for internal core design which adds tailored thermo-insulation capability coupled to an extremely effective vapor barrier. The R&D will validate the contractor's concepts concerning the causes and cures for moisture absorption in materials. The insulated and vapor/moisture proof coredesign for CFRP composites for aerospace vehicles and space structures will provide cost and weight savings over exaisting design. The commercial market will gain a new material for environmental control insulation.