PROTECTING CARBON FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER COMPOSITES FROM HEAT DAMAGE WITH AN INTEGRATED POLYIMIDE AEROGEL FLAME AND THERMAL BARRIER

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are widely employed in high-performance applications, yet they are prone to degradation under intense heat, restricting their use in demanding thermal environments. This paper demonstrates the benefits of thin (< 2 mm) and lightweight laminates that integrate polyimide aerogel-based thermal insulation films with flame barrier materials (PIA-FB) that protect CFRP structures from temperatures reaching up to 1100 °C; hence, reducing heat transfer and thermal damage to the underlying composite. The PIA-FB laminates were adhered to a 1 mm thick CFRP panel and exposed to 300 °C, and 600 °C direct contact temperatures for 20 minutes. Across all tested temperatures, the PIA-FBs achieved over 30 % drop in the cold-side temperature of the CFRP panel when heated at 300 °C, and 50 % reduction when exposed to 600 °C. To further expand the application of these laminates at a higher temperature, they were directly exposed to 1100 °C flame for 15 minutes, which resulted in 30 % drop in the cold-side temperature of laminates. This underscores the effectiveness of the PIA-FB laminates in mitigating heat-related composite degradation. These findings demonstrate that the PIA-FBs broaden the thermal operational window of CFRP composites in aerospace and defense applications, where high thermal resistance and lightweight are critical properties of materials.