NONA Cure of Prepreg Structures

CRG's no-oven, no-autoclave (NONA) composite processing technology enables the fabrication of high-performance composite parts without the limitations imposed by autoclaves and ovens. The NONA infusion and cure of autoclave prepreg materials allows the manufacture of large primary composite structures without the expensive and energy-intensive capital equipment currently required for fabrication. The NONA process enables the remote fabrication of complex, integrated structures, dramatically shifting the composites manufacturing paradigm. Qualified autoclave or OoA prepreg tapes can be applied simultaneously with dry unidirectional (UD) tapes in an automated process. The presence of dry fibers throughout the layup before infusion allows improved breathing, removal of volatiles from prepreg, and improved compaction with only atmospheric pressure, mimicking the double vacuum debulk (DVD) process without the added equipment. NONA resin is then introduced to the evacuated layup at ambient temperature to wet out all available contact surfaces and cure itself and the prepreg in place. The NONA epoxy resin uses its own chemical energy to propel itself through a complete cure with no external heat required. With a high degree of crosslinking, the baseline NONA resin provides good strength, chemical resistance, and thermal performance up to 350 degrees F. Pairing NONA resin with a compatible prepreg, such as IM7/Cycom 977-3 or Hexcel IM7/8552-1, a cure of both systems can be achieved at room temperature. Because the cure occurs at room temperature, the NONA resin locks in its shape near room temperature, thus allowing the use of low-cost tooling materials, typically avoided because the of high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE).

Supporting NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, this project's technologies directly address requirements for new manufacturing processes and advanced materials for creating lightweight structures for heavy lift launch vehicles. This project's technologies offer the benefits of qualified aerospace prepreg systems combined with the low-cost tooling and low-capital curing of NONA manufacturing to reduce overall manufacturing costs and enable larger primary structures.

This project's technologies, developed for NASA systems, would directly apply to systems operated by other government and commercial enterprises. Government systems that would derive the same benefits would include the Next Generation Air Dominance multirole combat aircraft operated by the US Navy, the Long Range Strike Bomber operated by the US Air Force, the Future Vertical Life helicopter operated by the US Army, and multiple unmanned systems operated by all US Armed Forces Services. This technology's attributes for lower-cost high performance composite structure fabrication should yield a high potential for private sector commercialization for primary and secondary structural aerospace components, such as fuselage, wing, and secondary interior structures. While new commercial aircraft designs have long cycles, the opportunity for aircraft interior retrofits using composites can have a shorter design and implementation cycle and deliver similar efficiency and durability performance improvements as primary and secondary structures.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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