Production Peculiarities of Hot-Curing Resin Samples for Potential Use in Open Space Conditions

Abstract

Deployable structures ensure a new round in manufacturing spacecraft components (compartments and modules, communication and power supply systems). Although there is a great number of engineering approaches and solutions in this field of research, we favor the idea of unfolding in space multilayer inflatable structures based on a composite material (prepreg). Prepreg consists of reinforcing fibers impregnated with resin (binder) cured under open space conditions. This approach makes it possible to create light and strong structures of various shapes in space. The purpose of this study is to find a domestic material that can serve as a binder and is able to meet the requirements for binders: high curing temperature, low outgassing during curing and long storage life in an uncured state. The paper proposes to use a special resin VST-1208, which meets these requirements, for the production of prepregs. The differential scanning calorimetry method (DSC) was used to analyse the reactions occurring during resin curing. Due to the impossibility of conducting experiments in real conditions, the main step of our study is identifying an optimal strategy for production of resin samples. To this end, it is necessary to model and analyze the process of heating the samples in a vacuum thermo-cabinet. We considered the situations when the sample is in experimental conditions – in a vacuum thermo cabinet on a thermally conductive substrate, and in conditions close to outer space – in a vacuum thermo cabinet without a thermally conductive substrate (for example, on a thermally insulating substrate). Analysis of the data obtained confirmed that the considered material can be used at specified temperatures.