PMR-type polyimide prepregs are challenging to fabricate into high quality composites due to volatiles that are generated and must be removed in situ during processing. The current work was conducted to develop accurate, reliable, and practical characterization techniques of the prepreg rheology, volatile generation, and subsequent volatile removal from the prepreg during composite fabrication. Thermal analysis was used to characterize volatile generation, reaction rates, and rheology. A novel approach was used to measure the thickness of the prepreg in situ during vacuum bag/oven processing using a high-temperature LVDT. Experimental results are presented for the commercially available RM-1100 polyimide/carbon prepreg system, including the reaction rate, rheology, and panel thickness results for a series of heating rates and ply counts. The results show the key interrelationships in these coupled phenomena and how that information can be used to select the optimum temperature of pressure application to minimize the final void content.

中文翻译：

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开发表征反应动力学、流变学和聚酰亚胺预浸料固化过程中原位压实的方法

PMR 型聚酰亚胺预浸料很难制造成高质量的复合材料，因为在加工过程中会产生挥发物并且必须原位去除。目前的工作是开发准确、可靠和实用的预浸料流变学表征技术，挥发物的产生，以及随后在复合材料制造过程中从预浸料中去除挥发物。热分析用于表征挥发物的产生、反应速率和流变学。在使用高温 LVDT 的真空袋/烤箱加工过程中，使用一种新颖的方法来原位测量预浸料的厚度。提供了市售 RM-1100 聚酰亚胺/碳预浸料系统的实验结果，包括一系列加热速率和层数的反应速率、流变学和面板厚度结果。