Site: National Research Institute of Materials and Chemical Research (formerly Research Institute for Polymers & Textiles)
Polymer Composites Laboratory
MITI/AIST
1-1-4 Higashi, Tsukuba-shi
Ibaraki-ken 305, Japan

Date Visited: December 10, 1992

Report Author: D. Granville

ATTENDEES

JTEC:

D. Granville
V. Karbhari

HOSTS:

Dr. Takeshi Kitano

Dr. Takashi Tamaki

BACKGROUND

From 1993 onwards, a large group of laboratories at Tsukuba, including the Research Institute for Polymers and Textiles, will be divided into two major groups:

1. Biomaterials, with approximately 200 researchers
2. Materials (including plastics and composites), with 300-500 researchers

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

Excellent Braiding Studies

Functional Gradient Materials

• Controlling heat-resistance (fibers) and conductivity of materials
• Controlling the distribution of fiber materials, in chopped mat form
• Varying the polymer alloys used
• Varying the fiber shape (profile)
• Tension variability
• Fiber orientation/control/gradient distribution
• 2-D and 3-D braiding of composites with up to 3 reinforcements
  (3 attached articles by Dr. Kitano relate to this subject)
• Water jets used to force short fiber reinforcement into mats so as to give through-thickness reinforcements

Chopped Strand Experiments

• Effect of fiber length distribution before and after mixing/compounding
• Influence on the number of filaments in chopped strand vs. mechanical properties

SUMMARY

The 3-D braiding machine was viewed in the lab, along with a number of braided prototypes. The possibilities of using the 3-D braider as a low-cost process to produce truss structures and cores for composite structures was discussed.