FIELD

This disclosure generally relates to providing heat protection to composite structures.

BACKGROUND

Composite structures (comprising, for example, polymer matrix fiber-reinforced composite material and/or at least one polymer material) in various implementations may be exposed to heat, allowing the possibility that, in response to the heat exposure, the composite structure could appreciably lose structural integrity (partially or fully) and/or ignite. Therefore, composite structures may benefit from being protected from heat exposure such that reduced structural integrity and/or ignition is less likely to occur.

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, a composite structure may comprise a composite core comprising a composite material, and a heat resistant system coupled to the composite core comprising a binder and/or at least one of a heat dissipation material or a thermal barrier material. The heat dissipation material may comprise boron nitride, graphene, graphite, carbon fiber, carbon nanotubes, aluminum foil, and/or copper foil, and the thermal barrier material may comprise montmorillonite, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, silicate glass, mica powder or flake, aluminum oxide powder, titanium dioxide powder, and/or zirconium oxide powder. The binder may comprise at least one of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol copolyacetate, polyacrylamide, polyethylene glycol, polyethylenimine, polyurethane, polyester, or latex.

In various embodiments, the heat resistant system may comprise the binder and the thermal barrier material to form a thermal barrier layer disposed on a core outer surface of the composite core. The thermal barrier layer may comprise between 50% and 99.9% by weight thermal barrier material. In various embodiments, the heat resistant system may comprise a heat dissipation layer comprising the heat dissipation material disposed between the core outer surface and the thermal barrier layer. In various embodiments, the thermal barrier layer may comprise an intumescent material comprising at least one of polyethylenimine, ammonium phosphate, aluminum phosphate, pentaerythritol, hexametaphosphate, chitosan, melamine cyanurate, melamine phosphate, or a phosphonate oligamer. In various embodiments, the heat resistant system may further comprise an intumescent layer disposed on the thermal barrier layer, wherein the intumescent layer may comprise at least one of polyethylenimine, ammonium phosphate, aluminum phosphate, pentaerythritol, hexametaphosphate, chitosan, melamine cyanurate, melamine phosphate, or a phosphonate oligomer.

In various embodiments, the heat resistant system further may comprise an outer composite layer comprising a second composite material disposed on the thermal barrier layer. The outer composite layer may comprise at least one of an incorporated heat dissipation material, an incorporated thermal barrier material, or an incorporated intumescent material, wherein the incorporated heat dissipation material comprises at least one of boron nitride, graphene, graphite, carbon fiber, carbon nanotubes, aluminum foil, or copper foil, the incorporated thermal barrier material comprises at least one of montmorillonite, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, silicate glass, mica powder or flake, aluminum oxide powder, titanium dioxide powder, or zirconium oxide powder, and the incorporated intumescent material comprises at least one of polyethylenimine, ammonium phosphate, aluminum phosphate, pentaerythritol, hexametaphosphate, chitosan, melamine cyanurate, melamine phosphate, or a phosphonate oligomer. In various embodiments, at least one of the heat dissipation layer or the intumescent layer may comprise a protective mesh comprising at least one of a metal material or a ceramic material, wherein the protective mesh comprises a plurality of pores, wherein each pore is less than about one millimeter in size.

In various embodiments, an aircraft may comprise a landing gear assembly comprising a structural component comprising a composite material, wherein the structural component comprises a composite core and a heat resistant system coupled to the composite core comprising a binder and/or at least one of a heat dissipation material or a thermal barrier material. The heat dissipation material may comprise at least one of boron nitride, graphene, graphite, carbon fiber, carbon nanotubes, aluminum foil, or copper foil, and the thermal barrier material may comprise at least one of montmorillonite, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, silicate glass, mica powder or flake, aluminum oxide powder, titanium dioxide powder, or zirconium oxide powder. The binder may comprise at least one of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol copolyacetate, polyacrylamide, polyethylene glycol, polyethylenimine, polyurethane, polyester, or latex.

In various embodiments, the heat resistant system may comprise the binder and the thermal barrier material to form a thermal barrier layer disposed on a core outer surface of the composite core. In various embodiments, the heat resistant system may comprise a heat dissipation layer comprising the heat dissipation material disposed between the core outer surface and the thermal barrier layer. In various embodiments, the thermal barrier layer may comprise an intumescent material comprising at least one of polymethylenimine, ammonium phosphate, aluminum phosphate, pentaerythritol, hexametaphosphate, chitosan, melamine cyanurate, melamine phosphate, or a phosphonate oligomer. In various embodiments, the heat resistant system may further comprise an intumescent layer disposed on the thermal barrier layer, wherein the intumescent layer may comprise at least one of polymethylenimine, ammonium phosphate, aluminum phosphate, pentaerythritol, hexametaphosphate, chitosan, melamine cyanurate, melamine phosphate, or a phosphonate oligomer.

In various embodiments, the heat resistant system may further comprise an outer composite layer comprising a second composite material disposed on the thermal barrier layer. In various embodiments, the outer composite layer may comprise at least one of an incorporated heat dissipation material, an incorporated thermal barrier material, or an incorporated intumescent material, wherein the incorporated heat dissipation material comprises at least one of boron nitride, graphene, graphite, carbon fiber, carbon nanotubes, aluminum foil, or copper foil, the incorporated thermal barrier material comprises at least one of montmorillonite, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, silicate glass, mica powder or flake, aluminum oxide powder, titanium dioxide powder, or zirconium oxide powder, and the incorporated intumescent material comprises at least one of polymethylenimine, ammonium phosphate, aluminum phosphate, pentaerythritol, hexametaphosphate, chitosan, melamine cyanurate, melamine phosphate, or a phosphonate oligomer.

In various embodiments, a method may comprise forming a thermal barrier slurry comprising a solvent, a binder, and a thermal barrier material, wherein the binder may comprise at least one of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol copolyacetate, polyacrylamide, polyethylene glycol, polyethylenimine, polyurethane, polyester, or latex, and the thermal barrier material comprises at least one of montmorillonite, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, silicate glass, mica powder or flake, aluminum oxide powder, titanium dioxide powder, or zirconium oxide powder; and forming a thermal barrier layer on a component of an aircraft landing gear assembly comprising a composite material. In various embodiments, the forming the thermal barrier layer may comprise applying the thermal barrier slurry to the component by at least one of brushing or spraying the thermal barrier slurry onto the component, or dipping the component into the thermal barrier slurry.

In various embodiments, the method may further comprise forming a heat dissipation slurry comprising a second solvent, a second binder, and a heat dissipation material comprising at least one of boron nitride, graphene, graphite, carbon fiber, carbon nanotubes, aluminum foil, or copper foil; and applying the heat dissipation slurry to the component of the aircraft landing gear assembly to form a thermal barrier layer before applying the thermal barrier slurry. In various embodiments, the method may further comprise combining the thermal barrier material with a resin used for forming the composite material to form a thermal barrier resin; applying the thermal barrier resin to fibers to create a thermal barrier composite material; and/or wrapping the thermal barrier composite material around the component to form an outer composite layer.

