OUT-OF-AUTOCLAVE AND ALTERNATIVE OVEN CURING USING A SELF HEATING TOOL

1 . A method of curing composite material to form a composite structure, the method comprising:

laying up and forming pre-preg material on a forming surface of cured pre-preg material of a composite structure forming tool; and

passing current through nano tube impregnated resin within the forming tool to heat the tool internally to cure the pre-preg material.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein laying up and forming pre-preg material further comprises:

applying and pressing the pre-preg material on the forming surface of the forming tool.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein passing current through the nano tubes in the tool further comprises:

creating a voltage potential between adjacent conductive strips in the tool.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein creating the voltage potential between adjacent conductive strips further comprises:

coupling alternating current to the conductive strips.

5 . A curing tool comprising:

cured nano tube impregnated resin;

at least two conductors formed in the nano tube impregnated resin;

a forming surface portion including cured composite material of pre-preg material; and

at least a first insulation layer separating the cured composite material from the nano tube impregnated resin.

6 . The curing tool of claim 5 , further comprising:

a support base portion of cured composite material; and

at least one second insulation layer separating the support base portion of the cured composite material from the cured nano tube impregnated resin.

7 . The curing tool of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first and second insulation layers is a layer of cured glass ply.

8 . The curing tool of claim 6 , further comprising:

the support base portion, the at least second insulation layer and a portion of the cured nano tube impregnated resin have aligned passages to the at least two conductors; and

a conductive wire for each aligned passage, each conductive wire passing through associated aligned passages, each conductive wire coupled to an associated conductor.

9 . The curing tool of claim 8 , further comprising:

a power supply coupled to the plurality of conductive wires; and

a controller configured to control the power supply.

10 . The curing tool of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to vary the power of the power supply to adjust heat produced by the curing tool.

11 . The curing tool of claim 9 , wherein the power supply supplies an alternating current.

12 . The curing tool of claim 5 , wherein the at least two conductors are conductive strips positioned relatively parallel to each other and spaced select distances apart.