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Engineering Polymer Blends for Impact Damage Mitigation Structures containing polymers such as DuPont's Surlyn® 8940, demonstrate puncture healing when impacted by a 9 millimeter projectile traveling from speeds near 300 meters per second (1,100 feet per second) to hypervelocity impacts in the micrometeoroid velocity range of 5 kilometers per second (16,000 feet per second). Surlyn® 8940 puncture heals over a temperature range of minus 30 degrees Centigrade to plus 70 degrees Centigrade and shows potential for use in pressurized vessels subject to impact damage. However, such polymers are difficult to process and limited in applicability due to their low thermal stability, poor chemical resistance and overall poor mechanical properties. In this work, several puncture healing engineered melt formulations were developed. Moldings of melt blend formulations were impacted with a 5.56 millimeter projectile with a nominal velocity of 945 meters per second (3,100 feet per second) at about 25 degrees Centigrade, 50 degrees Centigrade and 100 degrees Centigrade, depending upon the specific blend being investigated. Self-healing tendencies were determined using surface vacuum pressure tests and tensile tests after penetration using tensile dog-bone specimens (ASTM D 638-10). For the characterization of tensile properties both pristine and impacted specimens were tested to obtain tensile modulus, yield stress and tensile strength, where possible. Experimental results demonstrate a range of new puncture healing blends which mitigate damage in the ballistic velocity regime.
Document ID
20160005901
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Technical Memorandum (TM)
Authors
Gordon, Keith L.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Smith, Russell W.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Working, Dennis C.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Siochi, Emilie J.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Date Acquired
May 6, 2016
Publication Date
March 1, 2016
Subject Category
Nonmetallic Materials
Space Transportation And Safety
Report/Patent Number
NASA/TM-2016-219002
NF1676L-20985
L-20549
Funding Number(s)
WBS: WBS 247926.06.04
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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