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Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites
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Manufacturing and Cure Kinetics Modeling for Macro Fiber Composite Actuators

R. Brett Williams

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech 310 Durham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0261, USArowilli6{at}vt.edu

Brian W. Grimsley

Advanced Materials and Processing Branch, NASA Langley Research Center, USA

Daniel J. Inman

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, USA

W. Keats Wilkie

Structural Dynamics Branch, NASA Langley Research Center, USA

The use of piezoelectric ceramic materials for structural actuation is a fairly welldeveloped practice that has found use in a wide variety of applications. However, just as advanced composites offer many benefits over traditional engineering materials for structural design, actuators that utilize the active properties of piezoelectric fibers can improve upon many of the limitations encountered with monolithic piezoceramic devices used to control structural dynamics. This paper discusses the Macro Fiber Composite (MFC) actuator, which utilizes piezoceramic fibers, for example, lead zirconate titanate (PZT), embedded in an epoxy matrix for structural actuation. An overview of the MFC assembly process is presented, followed by a cure kinetics model that describes the behavior of the thermosetting epoxy matrix. This empirical model is seen to agree closely with the experimental data.

Key Words: macro fiber composite • manufacturing • cure kinetics • DSC

Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites, Vol. 23, No. 16, 1741-1754 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/0731684404040171
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