Metal/fiber laminate and fabrication using a porous metal/fiber preform
View Patent ↗A metal/fiber laminate has a plurality of adjacent layers. Each layer is porous and includes an arrangement of fibers. At least one of the layers has its fibers coated with a metal. A polymer matrix permeates each such arrangement.
1. A metal/fiber laminate, comprising:
a plurality of adjacent layers with each of said layers including an arrangement of fibers and with at least one of said layers having said fibers associated therewith coated with a metal wherein each said arrangement is porous; and
a polymer matrix permeating each said arrangement.
2. A metal/fiber laminate as in claim 1 wherein, for each of said layers, said fibers are in the form of a fabric.
3. A metal/fiber laminate as in claim 1 wherein, for each of said layers, said fibers are arranged in a unidirectional fashion.
4. A metal/fiber laminate as in claim 1 wherein said metal is at least one of an electrically-conductive metal and a thermally-conductive metal.
5. A metal/fiber laminate as in claim 1 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, nickel, palladium, platinum, titanium, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof.
6. A metal/fiber laminate as in claim 1 wherein said fibers are selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, carbon fibers, graphite fibers, aramid fibers, polyethylene fibers, polybenzoxazole fibers, and mixtures thereof.
7. A metal/fiber laminate as in claim 1 wherein said metal is coated on said fibers by low-pressure radio frequency plasma spray deposition.
8. A metal/fiber laminate as in claim 1 wherein said polymer matrix is cured from a resin selected from the group consisting of epoxies, cyanates, bismaleimides and imides.
9. A metal/fiber laminate, comprising:
a plurality of adjacent layers with each of said layers including an arrangement of fibers and with at least one of said layers having said fibers associated therewith spray coated with a metal wherein each said arrangement is porous; and
a polymer matrix permeating each said arrangement and contiguous throughout said plurality of adjacent layers.
10. A metal/fiber laminate as in claim 9 wherein, for each of said layers, said fibers are in the form of a fabric.
11. A metal/fiber laminate as in claim 9 wherein, for each of said layers, said fibers are arranged in a unidirectional fashion.
12. A metal/fiber laminate as in claim 9 wherein said metal is at least one of an electrically-conductive metal and a thermally-conductive metal.
13. A metal/fiber laminate as in claim 9 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, nickel, palladium, platinum, titanium, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof.
14. A metal/fiber laminate as in claim 9 wherein said fibers are selected from the group consisting of glass fibers, carbon fibers, graphite fibers, aramid fibers, polyethylene fibers, polybenzoxazole fibers, and mixtures thereof.
15. A metal/fiber laminate as in claim 9 wherein said metal is spray coated on said fibers by low-pressure radio frequency plasma spray deposition.
16. A metal/fiber laminate as in claim 9 wherein said polymer matrix is cured from a resin selected from the group consisting of epoxies, cyanates, bismaleimides and imides.