Titanium-polymer hybrid laminates

• Main Authors: AYERS; DONALD J, HOFFMAN; DANIEL J, WESTRE; WILLARD N, EVANS; DAVID W, ALLEN-LILLY; HEATHER C, GRANDE; DONALD L, ROTHSCHILDS; ROBERT J, ROGALSKI; MARK E, CREGGER; SAMUEL E
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 05.09.2000
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: AEROPLANES; AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TOTRANSPORTATION; COSMONAUTICS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HELICOPTERS; LAYERED PRODUCTS; LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT ORNON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; TRANSPORTING

The invention provides a hybrid laminate and skin panels of hybrid laminate structure that are suitable for a supersonic civilian aircraft. The hybrid laminates include layups of layers of titanium alloy foil and composite plies, that are optimally oriented to counteract forces encountered in use, that are bonded to a central core structure, such as titanium alloy honeycomb. The reinforcing fibers of the composite plies are selected from carbon and boron, and the fibers are continuous and parallel oriented within each ply. However, some plies may be oriented at angles to other plies. Nevertheless, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, a substantial majority of, or all of, the fibers of the hybrid laminates are oriented in a common direction. The outer surfaces of the laminates include a layer of titanium foil to protect the underlying composite-containing structure from the environment, and attack by solvents, and the like.