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Session: Session 9: Modelling and Characterisation of AFP
Session starts: Thursday 16 April, 10:50
Presentation starts: 11:30
Room: Main

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Jonas Appels (Institute of Lightweight Systems, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Stade, Germany)
Daniel Stefaniak (Institute of Lightweight Systems, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Stade, Germany)
Clemens Dransfeld (Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands)

Abstract:
During automated fibre placement in dome regions of hydrogen tanks, tow drops lead to triangular gaps, forming resin-rich regions that are prone to microcracking under cryogenic cycling. This research investigates a microscale toughening concept for linerless Type V cryogenic hydrogen tanks based on filling AFP gaps with polyetherimide (PEI). Tensile specimens made from HexPly 8552 with simplified gap regions showed that PEI/epoxy interphases formed around the insert, but the feature dimension depended on fibre packing and resin availability. The tensile properties did not improve, which is attributed to microstructural limitations of the gap and PEI arrangement. The results indicate that insert geometry and local contact conditions must be controlled more precisely before proceeding to a cryogenic validation of PEI-based gap filling.