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Title: Electron beam curing of polymer matrix composites

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/663226· OSTI ID:663226
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  2. Sandia National Lab., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  3. AECL Technologies, Inc., Rockville, MD (United States); and others

The purpose of the CRADA was to conduct research and development activities to better understand and utilize the electron beam PMC curing technology. This technology will be used to replace or supplement existing PMC thermal curing processes in Department of Energy (DOE) Defense Programs (DP) projects and American aircraft and aerospace industries. This effort involved Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc./Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corp. (Contractor), Sandia National Laboratories, and ten industrial Participants including four major aircraft and aerospace companies, three advanced materials companies, and three electron beam processing organizations. The technical objective of the CRADA was to synthesize and/or modify high performance, electron beam curable materials that meet specific end-use application requirements. There were six tasks in this CRADA including: Electron beam materials development; Electron beam database development; Economic analysis; Low-cost Electron Beam tooling development; Electron beam curing systems integration; and Demonstration articles/prototype structures development. The contractor managed, participated and integrated all the tasks, and optimized the project efforts through the coordination, exchange, and dissemination of information to the project participants. Members of the Contractor team were also the principal inventors on several electron beam related patents and a 1997 R and D 100 Award winner on Electron-Beam-Curable Cationic Epoxy Resins. The CRADA achieved a major breakthrough for the composites industry by having successfully developed high-performance electron beam curable cationic epoxy resins for use in composites, adhesives, tooling compounds, potting compounds, syntactic foams, etc. UCB Chemicals, the world`s largest supplier of radiation-curable polymers, has acquired a license to produce and sell these resins worldwide.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant (Y-12), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
663226
Report Number(s):
Y/AMT-606; R&D Project: 94-MULT-003-D2-04; ON: DE98054360; CRN: C/Y-1293-0233; TRN: 99:000031
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 8 Jan 1998
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English