Inventors:
H. Kevin Rivers - Hampton VA
Philip O. Ransone - Gloucester VA
G. Burton Northam - Carrollton VA
Francis A. Schwind - Fort Worth TX
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Washington DC
International Classification:
C01B 3100
Abstract:
An improved structure for carbon-carbon composite piston architectures consists of replacing the knitted fiber, three-dimensional piston preform architecture described in U. S. Pat. No. 4,909,133 (Taylor et al. ) with a two-dimensional lay-up or molding of carbon fiber fabric or tape. Initially, the carbon fabric or tape layers are prepregged with carbonaceous organic resins and/or pitches and are laid up or molded about a mandrel, to form a carbon-fiber reinforced organic-matrix composite part shaped like a "U" channel, a "T"-bar, or a combination of the two. The molded carbon-fiber reinforced organic-matrix composite part is then pyrolized in an inert atmosphere, to convert the organic matrix materials to carbon. At this point, cylindrical piston blanks are cored from the "U"-channel, "T"-bar, or combination part. These blanks are then densified by reimpregnation with resins or pitches which are subsequently carbonized.