Method for manufacturing composite fiber preform for disc brakes
An example method includes forming an interlayer on a carbon fiber fabric to form a composite fiber fabric. The interlayer comprises a binder. The method further includes winding the composite fiber fabric around a core to form a composite fiber preform comprising a plurality of layers defining an annulus extending along a central axis. The method further includes densifying the composite fiber preform.
1. A method comprising:
forming an interlayer on a carbon fiber fabric to form a composite fiber fabric, wherein the interlayer comprises a binder;
winding the composite fiber fabric around a core to form a composite fiber preform comprising a plurality of layers defining an annulus extending along a central axis, wherein the interlayer is formed on the carbon fiber fabric without needling and prior to winding the composite fiber fabric, wherein a portion of carbon fibers of the carbon fiber fabric having a substantially in-plane orientation is greater than or equal to about 50%, wherein a portion of carbon fibers of the carbon fiber fabric having a substantially out-of-plane orientation is less than or equal to about 50%, wherein the out-of-plane orientation is parallel with a radial orientation of the composite fiber preform; and
densifying the composite fiber preform.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the binder comprises at least one of a resin, a thermoset resin, or a phenolic resin.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the interlayer comprises:
depositing the binder in a dry powder form onto the carbon fiber fabric;
compressing the binder to the carbon fiber fabric prior to winding the composite fiber fabric; and
curing, after winding, the binder.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interlayer comprises a plurality of nanoparticles in the binder, the method further comprising blending the plurality of nanoparticles with the binder prior to depositing the interlayer.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of nanoparticles comprise at least one of a carbon nanotube, a carbon nanofiber, or a graphene nanoplatelet.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the interlayer comprises:
mixing the binder with a solvent to form a binder solution;
coating a surface of the carbon fiber fabric with the binder solution;
compressing the binder to the carbon fiber fabric prior to winding the composite fiber fabric;
drying the binder solution; and
curing, after winding, the binder.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising mixing a plurality of nanoparticles with the binder solution prior to coating the binder.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising consolidating the interlayer and the carbon fiber fabric to increase a carbon fiber volume fraction of the composite fiber preform via controlling a tension of the composite carbon fiber fabric.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein controlling the tension of the composite carbon fiber fabric comprises controlling a percent of a carbon fiber volume relative to a total volume of the composite fiber preform between about 5% to about 35%.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises a filament wound carbon tow, wherein the composite fiber preform is removable from the core.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising wrapping a compaction layer around an outer diameter of the composite fiber preform, wherein the compaction layer is configured to maintain a compaction of the composite fiber preform, wherein the compaction layer comprises a filament wound carbon tow.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising thermal cycling the composite fiber preform to rigidize at least one of the core, the composite fiber preform, or the compaction layer.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
carbonizing at least a portion of the composite fiber preform,
wherein densifying the composite fiber preform comprises densifying the composite fiber preform via chemical vapor deposition.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sectioning the densified composite fiber preform into one or more discs defining respective composite brake pads or discs.
15. A system comprising:
a fabric source comprising a carbon fiber fabric;
an interlayer source configured to form an interlayer on the carbon fiber fabric without needling and prior to winding the carbon fiber fabric and the interlayer, wherein a portion of carbon fibers of the carbon fiber fabric having a substantially in-plane orientation is greater than or equal to about 50%, wherein a portion of carbon fibers of the carbon fiber fabric having a substantially out-of-plane orientation is less than or equal to about 50%, wherein the out-of-plane orientation is parallel with a radial orientation of the carbon fiber fabric; and
a winding apparatus configured to wind the carbon fiber fabric and the interlayer around a core to form a composite fiber preform and defining an annulus extending along a central longitudinal axis, the fiber preform comprising:
a plurality carbon fiber fabric layers extending in an axial direction parallel with the longitudinal axis and a circumferential direction perpendicular to both the radial and axial directions, wherein each layer of the plurality of carbon fiber fabric layers comprises a plurality of elongate carbon fibers; and
a plurality interlayers extending in an axial direction parallel with the longitudinal axis and a circumferential direction perpendicular to both the radial and axial directions, wherein the interlayer comprises a binder configured to mechanically bind one or more adjacent carbon fiber fabric layers.