01-08-2013 дата публикации
Номер: US20130193606A1
A pitch densification apparatus may be used to form a carbon-carbon composite material. In some examples, the apparatus is configured to pitch densify a material using one or more of a plurality of different pitch densification techniques. For example, the apparatus may densify a material with a selectable one of the resin transfer molding cycle, the vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding cycle, and/or the vacuum pressure infiltration cycle. The apparatus may respond to initial or changing properties of a material to be densified. In some additional examples, the apparatus includes a mold configured to receive a preform and a portion of solid pitch separate from the preform. The apparatus may include a heating source thermally coupled to the mold that is configured to heat the solid pitch above a melting temperature of the solid pitch. The apparatus may melt the pitch without external pitch melting equipment. 1. A method for densifying a material via pitch , the method comprising: a ram configured to apply a ram pressure sufficient to force a pitch into the mold to densify the material,', 'a gas source configured to apply a gas pressure in the mold sufficient to force the pitch into the mold to densify the material, and', 'a vacuum source operable to create a vacuum pressure in the mold at least prior to application of either the ram pressure or the gas pressure; and, 'inserting the material to be densified into a mold, wherein the mold is part of an apparatus includingdensifying the material in the mold via pitch using a selectable one of the ram, the gas source, the ram and the vacuum source, or the gas source and the vacuum source.2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material comprises a carbon fiber material preformed into a shape of a brake disc.3. The method of claim 1 , wherein densifying the material in the mold via pitch comprises applying a ram pressure claim 1 , via the ram claim 1 , between approximately 500 pounds per square inch (psi) and ...
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