Table Of ContentPP 2nd International Conference
oo
ll
yy
mm
PPoollyymmeerrss iinn
ee
rr
ss
ii
nn
Smithers Rapra has provided a world leading portfolio of Rubber, Plastic and other
DD
Polymer Information products and services for 85 years. To improve the delivery and ee
ff DDeeffeennccee && AAeerroossppaaccee
range of products a new business was formed in July 2008 called iSmithers. ee
nn
cc
iSmithers, working alongside Smithers Rapra and still part of the Smithers group, has ee
expanded its service offering to cover other business areas and industries harnessing & &
the expertise of the iSmithers management team and the knowledge from other A A
ee AApppplliiccaattiioonnss
companies within the group.
rr
oo
ss
Please visit our webside for more information:
pp
www.polymerconferences.com aa
cc
ee
2010
AA
pp
pp
ll
ii
cc
aa
tt
ii
oo Hamburg, Germany, 10-11 February 2010
nn
ss
2 CCoonnffeerreennccee PPrroocceeeeddiinnggss
0
1
0
C
o
n
f
e
r
e
n
c
e
P
r
o
c
e
e
d
i
n
g
s
i
S
m
©iSmithers 2010
i organised by:
t
ISBN 978 1 84735 398 6 h
e
www.polymerconferences.com
r
s
Organised by
Hamburg, Germany
10-11 February 2010
ISBN: 978-1-84735-398-6
© Smithers Rapra Technology Ltd, 2010
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written
permission of the publisher, Smithers Rapra Technology Ltd, Shawbury, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 4NR,
UK.
The views expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily correspond
to those of Smithers Rapra Technology Ltd. This publication is published on the basis that no responsibility or
liability of any nature shall attach to Smithers Rapra Technology Ltd. arising out of or in connection with any
utilization in any form any material contained in this publication.
10-11 February 2010
Marriott Hotel, Hamburg, Germany
Contents
Session 1: Novel Materials & Processes
Paper 1 Team MAST – Delivering materials and structures R & D to UK MOD
Dr Dan Kells, BAE Systems, UK & Dr Eoin O’Keefe, QinetiQ Ltd, UK
Paper 2 Phosphazene elastomer use in defence and aerospace
Bill Goodwin & Raymond E Stiles, Materials Science Technology, USA
Paper 3 Formulation and properties of rigid polyurethane foams
Karen J Foster, K N Hunt, C N Warriner, D R Harbron & D A Broughton, AWE plc, UK
Paper 4 Inkjet printing as a fabrication tool and its potential in defence & aerospace applications
Dr Kay Yeong, Xennia Technology, UK
Session 2: Electronic Materials & Applications
Paper 5 Development of a thermoplastic printed circuit board for applications in the aviation
industry
Dipl-Ing Thomas Apeldorn, Universität Bayreuth, Germany
Paper 6 Synthesis and characterization of novel conducting monomer showing chimeric
polymerisation behaviour: Versatile applications in defence and aerospace research
Dr Dhana Lakshmi, Cranfield University, UK et al
Paper 7 Use of fluoropolymers in aerospace and defence: new applications and advantages
Stefano Mortara, P Toniolo, M Gebert, A Marrani & M Bassi, Solvay Solexis SPA, Italy
Paper 8 Rapid manufacturing of syntactic foams
A.K. Walmsley, M. Carne, M. Swan, C. Warriner, K. Hunt AWE plc, UK, G.J. Gibbons, The
University of Warwick, UK & S. Bubb, 3T RPD, UK
Paper 9 Design for manufacture and reliability of polymer-based electronics
Chris Bailey, Tim Tilford & Hua Lu, University of Greenwich, UK & Marc Desmulliez,
Heriot-Watt University, UK
Session 3: Composites
Paper 10 Rapid manufacture of structural thermoplastic composite components for aerospace
and defence applications
Charlotte Vacogne & Museok Kwak TWI, UK
Paper 11 Novel high temperature polymers for demanding composite applications
Dr Theo Dingemans, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
Paper 12 Microfocus X-ray diffraction and its application to high performance polymers and
composites
Richard Davies, C Riekel & M Burghammer, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, France
& S J Eichhorn & R J Young, University of Manchester, UK
Session 4: Carbon Nano Fibre-based Materials
Paper 13 Development of multifunctional advanced composites with polymer nanocomposite
matrices for aerospace applications
Marco Monti, Luigi Torre, R Petrucci & Prof Jose Kenny, University of Perugia, Italy
Paper 14 Manufacture and evaluation of hybrid carbon nanofiber containing nonwoven papers
Andrew Austin, Napier University, UK and J Haaland, Michael Jeschke & D Jhaveri, Technical
Fibre Products, USA
Paper 15 New generation of multifunctional composites with carbon nanotubes for aerospace
applications
Prof Dr Sergio H Pezzin & L A F Coelho, Santa Catrina State University, Brazil & S Amico,
UFRGS, Brazil
Session 5: Inorganic Nano-materials
Paper 16 Development of phenolic based nanocomposites for ablative rocket combustion
chambers
Luigi Torre, M Natali & J Kenny, University of Perugia, Italy
Paper 17 High performance polyurethane shape - memory polymer and its composites
Dr W M Huang & Y Zhao, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and Y Q Fu,Heriot-Watt
University, UK
Paper 18 Ageing and performance predictions of polymer nanocomposites for exterior defence
and aerospace applications
Dr James Njuguna, Cranfield University, UK & K Pielichowski, Cracow University of Technology,
Poland
Paper 19 UK strategic focus: The Materials and Structures National Technical Committee
Dr Dan Kells, BAE Systems, UK
Paper 20 The role of micro and nanofillers on mechanical and tribological behaviour of polymer
matrix composites for aerospace and automotive applications
Prof B Suresha & Prof Mohammed Ismail, The National Institute of Engineering, India
Session 6: Coatings
Paper 21 Engineered coatings for composites and polymers used in defence & aerospace: Now
and the future
Graham Armstrong, Indestructible Paint Ltd, UK
Paper 22 Silicone based coatings for aircraft applications
Bill Riegler, B Burkitt & R Thomaier, Nusil Technology, USA
Polymers in Defence & Aerospace Applications 2010 10-11 February 2010 – Hamburg, Germany
TEAM MAST – DELIVERING MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES
R&D TO UK MOD
Dr Dan Kells1 & Dr Eoin O’Keefe2
1BAE SYSTEMS - Advanced Technology Centre,
PO Box 5, Bristol BS34 7QW
Tel: +44 (0) 117 302 8235 email: [email protected]
2QinetiQ Ltd,
CodyTechnology Park, Farnborough, GU14 0LX.
Tel: +44 (0) 2392 582521 email: [email protected]
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Dr Dan Kells, FIMMM, CEng, MInstP, CPhys Head of Materials Sciences, BAE Systems,
Chairman Technology Exploitation Board, Team MAST
Originally a physicist by training, Dan Kells has spent 30 years doing, promoting and
directing research into materials & structures, with a particular interest in structural
composites.
Before joining the Sowerby Research Centre at British Aersopace, he had industrial
experience with Courtaulds, Westland Helicopters and Rover Group. He now heads up a department of
scientists and engineers providing research and technology for the defence requirements of BAE SYSTEMS.
In addition to his duties at BAE SYSTEMS, he is the UK industrial representative on the European Defence
Agency CAPTECH GEM1, he is an industrial representative on the Materials and Structures National
Technology Committee and he is involved in the Materials KTN. He is chairman of the Technology
Exploitation Board of Team MAST, the consortium selected to provide Materials & Structures Research to
the MoD. He is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOMMM) and
a Member of the Institute of Physics. He is also on the Industrial Advisory Panel at Sheffield University, the
EngD Steering Committee at Birmingham University and the Research Board of TWI.
Dr. Eoin O’Keefe, FInstP, CPhys, QinetiQ Fellow, Senior Technical Consultant for
Signature Materials, Technical Director Team MAST, Chief Engineer JCIMS materiel. His
current research interests include developing active, responsive and passive materials
for controlling visible, infrared, acoustic and microwave absorption, reflection,
directionality and multi-spectral compatibility for use in signature control. Eoin leads a
team of scientists and engineers that research and develop a range of signature control
and energy management materials for a wide range of customers including UK MoD. His
research is recorded in over 30 journal papers, 5 patents and more than 100 substantial
project reports. Eoin is the Technical Director for Team MAST, a consortium delivering
MoD’s research into materials and structures - a portfolio of projects from TRL 0 to 7. In particular Eoin has
driven the innovation part of the programme and is proud that within 6 months of the Team MAST
programme starting, materiel had been deployed for use in theatre. Since 2005 Eoin has also focussed his
efforts in developing improvements to life saving JCIMS materiel for NATO and has been invited to speak on
the subject at a number of international events. Eoin is the inventor and patent holder for technologies used
in QinetiQ’s Mirage® and Corona™ range of vehicle and dismount target ID materials and devices. Eoin has
recently been appointed Chairman of the IOMMM Defence Security and Safety Committee.
ABSTRACT
Team MAST is now the main vehicle for low to medium maturity materials & structures research for defence
applications in the UK. Managed by three leading UK organisations, it comprises 27 Companies, Research
& Technology Organisations and Universities who are in the forefront of materials & structures research.
This paper will set out the principles of the Team MAST consortium leading to the definition of a Military
Needs Matrix based on linking the military requirements to the equipment programme and hence the
formulation of a research programme.
Page 1 of 8 pages Paper 1
10-11 February 2010 – Hamburg, Germany Polymers in Defence & Aerospace Applications 2010
By example the paper will discuss some of the technical work going on within the consortium,
Cool coatings – coatings to reduce solar heat absorption
Self healing of fibre reinforce polymer composites
An integrated system for improved damage resistance and lightning strike protection in
composite structures
Finally the paper will show that the programme meets the UK MoD principal requirements of innovation and
exploitation.
1. BACKGROUND
In 2006, following the publication of the Defence Technology Strategy [1], the UK MoD announced its
intention to offer for competition the Materials & Structures basic research programme. The aim was to
ensure that UK MoD had access to the widest range of technology to meet its requirements, from the best
source and at the right price. Specifically the aims were to:
Meet the MoD requirement for defence materials and structures research to support the
development of new capability and enhance existing platforms,
Address the key technologies identified in the Defence Technology Strategy,
Sustain the UK onshore materials research capability,
Establish an enabling contract open to MoD for research and development into Materials and
Structures.
Whilst most projects would be of low
maturity (Technology Readiness Level 1-
3, according to MoD classification, [2]
Figure1), exploitation is a key feature
and thus the programme would also
include a number of TRL 4-6 and
potentially higher maturity level
programmes.
Thus was born Team MAST. Led by
three core partners, QinetiQ, BAE
Systems and Imperial College of
Science, Technology & Medicine, Team
MAST comprises 27 leading UK
organisations in Materials & Structures
(Figure 2) Research in the UK. These
include End-users, Research &
Technology Organisations, SME’s and
Universities. The consortium is inclusive
not exclusive. Three organisations are
Figure 1 Technology Readiness Levels in the process of joining and several
others have applied. There are three key
elements to Team MAST
A consortium selected by UK MoD through open competition and assembled to supply UK MoD the
“best in class” materials and structures needs in science and technology.
An enabling contract open to all of UK MoD to place tasks on the consortium to provide science &
technology. Tasks would fall into three categories: a core “TRL 1-3” programme, an innovation
programme (also at low maturity level) and additional projects at higher TRL levels (4 and above).
A research programme tailored to deliver elements of the Defence Industrial Strategy [3] & Defence
Technology Strategy and with the flexibility to deliver the future Defence Technology Plan.
Paper 1 Page 2 of 8 pages
Polymers in Defence & Aerospace Applications 2010 10-11 February 2010 – Hamburg, Germany
As well as overall management of the
consortium, the three core partners each
have a specific role: QinetiQ, a major
provider of military science & technology,
is responsible for the overall project and
programme management, Imperial
College, one of the UK’s premier
engineering universities, is responsible
for the scientific and technical quality of
the work and BAE Systems, the largest
European defence contractor, is
responsible for the exploitation. It is the
exploitation which is the key to the
success of the programme and to this
end an Exploitation Board, led by BAE
Systems, has been established as a
cornerstone of the Consortium,.
Figure 2 Team MAST Consortium
2. DEVELOPING THE CORE PROGRAMME
At the outset the core programme was split into four research “themes”: Theme 1 - Low Observable
Materials, Theme 2 - Smart and Active Materials, Theme 3 - Platform Structural Materials and Theme 4 -
Modelling, Design and Through Life Support. Themes 1 & 3 are led by QinetiQ and Themes 2 & 4 by BAE
Systems. In deciding what topics should be included in the main programme the consortium consulted widely
using three techniques:
The development of a series of military needs matrices comparing the requirements with the
technological maturity,
Stakeholder workshops within each theme to include the end users, the customer and other funding
organisations,
Questionnaires.
Table 1 shows the principal topics within the core research programme.
Theme 1 Low Observable Materials
Theme 2 Smart and Active Materials
2.1 Morphing Structures
2.2 Self Healing Materials
2.3 Structural Power Source Materials
Theme 3 Platform Structural Materials
3.1 Polymer Composite Technologies for Improved
Damage Tolerance, Survivability and Affordability
3.2 Advanced Metallic Materials for Military Structures
3.3 Affordable High Temperature Ceramic Materials for
Military Structures
Theme 4 Modelling, Design and Through Life Support.
4.1 Probabilistic Methods for Structural Life Extension,
Materials Replacement and Design
4.2 Integrated HUMS and Inspection Technologies
4.3 Corrosion Monitoring and Protective Coatings
Technologies
Table 1 Team MAST Core Programme
Page 3 of 8 pages Paper 1
10-11 February 2010 – Hamburg, Germany Polymers in Defence & Aerospace Applications 2010
3. THE INNOVATION PROJECT
In addition to the core programme, there is a cross cutting, innovation programme which seeks to look at
wider scope, higher risk topics than core the programme. Three calls have been made as part of the
Innovation Project. These have been for short studies, up to six months in duration. Two of the calls were
general whilst one was designed to meet a particular military requirement, “Reducing the Weight on the
Dismounted Soldier”. Altogether more than 35 studies have been performed with a total value in excess of
£1.5m. Although it is anticipated that technology push will be a main part of the innovation call, the proposals
and the work are all assessed for exploitation potential.
The range of subjects was huge covering a diverse range of topics. Examples of projects specifically related
to polymers and composites are:
Large area polymeric based nanocomposites,
3D reinforced polymer composites - micro cracking,
Bio-inspired microfabricated carbon nanotube composites for armour and structural applications, but
there were many others addressing issues with other materials.
Dissemination is vital and this was done via a series of poster presentations to enable a large volume of
material to be distributed to a wide audience. In addition the final output was assessed using the MoD
Performance Assessment Framework (see Section 5).
4. THREE TECHNOLOGY STUDIES
By way of example of the range of topics covered by Team MAST, the authors have selected three topics,
specifically covering the use of polymers in defence. The first comes from Theme 1 and deals with coatings
to reduce solar heat absorption. The other two concern composites and come from Themes 2 (Self-healing
of fibre reinforced polymer composites) and 3 (Using Shape Memory Alloys to improve damage resistance
and lightning strike performance).
The Theme 1 and 3 studies were carried out by the core partners and the Theme 2 study by Bristol
University who have an international reputation in this field.
4.1 COOL COATINGS – COATINGS TO REDUCE SOLAR HEAT ABSORPTION
Solar heating of vehicles in hot environments frequently leads to high external surface and internal
temperatures being reached. External platform skin temperature can reach in excess of 80°C, whilst internal
temperatures can exceed 50°C. This directly impacts the burden on equipment and personnel, for example
placing increasing demands on air conditioning units leading to increased energy consumption and greater
likelihood of unit failure.
Whilst vehicle design cannot easily be changed, paint schemes can be altered and therefore a study was
proposed to investigate the impact of using coating systems to try and reduce the solar heating. The
focussed three-month study was carried out to develop, test and trial a number of coating systems; exploiting
the understanding of radiation physics, paints technology, and trials and evaluation expertise from across
Theme 1.
The study investigated insulation and solar heat reflecting properties in the coating system alongside a
benchmark of current paint finishes. All coating systems were formulated from commercially available
materials and formulated to the same visual colour and applied to the test vehicle. Water soluble highly
elastic polymers were used as the binder system to formulate water based peelable paint systems that can
be easily removed. This enabled the production of coatings systems that are more flexible and have a lower
environmental impact and which can rapidly be applied and removed in line with need. The effect of solar
loading on the paint systems developed was assessed in a simulated high intensity solar environment in a
test chamber over a diurnal cycle. From the results obtained from the vehicles under study, an exterior and
an interior temperature drop were observed against current coatings. This data has been used to inform
decisions within MoD.
Paper 1 Page 4 of 8 pages
Polymers in Defence & Aerospace Applications 2010 10-11 February 2010 – Hamburg, Germany
Figure 3 Vehicles with different solar heat management coatings being tested
4.2 SELF-HEALING OF FIBRE REINFORCED POLYMER COMPOSITES
Advances in materials technologies have been largely responsible for major performance improvements in
many engineering structures and continues to be key in determining the reliability, performance and cost
effectiveness of such systems. Lightweight, high strength, high stiffness fibre reinforced polymer composite
materials are leading contenders to improve the efficiency and sustainability of many forms of transport. In
addition, they offer immense scope for incorporating multifunctionality due to their hierarchical internal
architecture. One limiting factor in their wider exploitation is relatively poor performance under impact
loading, a crucial aspect of any safety critical design, leading to a significant reduction in strength, stiffness
and stability.
Self-healing [4] is receiving an increasing amount
of interest worldwide as a method to
autonomously address damage in materials. In
particular, for advanced fibre reinforced polymer
composite materials it offers an alternative to
applying conservative damage tolerant design
and potentially could remove the need to perform
temporary repairs to damaged structures [5],
(Figure 4). Various liquid based self-healing
approaches for fibre reinforced composites are
currently being developed by researchers at
University of Bristol. This includes both
compartmentalised (i.e. micro-capsules or hollow
fibres) and vascular self-healing. Customised
healing agents are also being developed to
Figure 4 UV illumination healing action within a fibre impart improved efficacy and durability.
reinforced polymer composite
In the case of the former, resin filled hollow glass
fibres have been embedded within Carbon Fibre Composite laminates (CFC). The challenge arises in
incorporating a healing function within CFCs whilst minimising any detrimental effects on mechanical
performance, thus a process of optimisation is required. Flexural [6] and compression after impact [7] testing
has shown strength recovery after self-repair of >90%.
An alternative, bioinspired, approach from “traditional” damage tolerant designs is to provide ability to self-
heal via a vascular network [8]. A simple vascular network was introduced into the foam core of a composite
sandwich structure. Rupture of the channels by impact damage allowed the healing agent to infiltrate the
damage and cure. This approach has been shown to recover failure strength in sandwich beams subject to
flexure-after-impact [9] and compression-after-impact [10].
Page 5 of 8 pages Paper 1
