Abstract: Tunable thermoplastic polymer powder feedstock formulations and tunable conductive thermoplastic polymer powder feedstock formulations are disclosed for delivery to a high-velocity sprayer are presently disclosed, along with tunable coatings made from the disclosed formulations, and methods for delivering such tunable thermoplastic polymer coatings to substrates.

Abstract: A method for forming a composite structure includes the steps of: forming a fiber-reinforced polymer paste to a shape of a cavity of a dry fiber preform structure; heating said dry fiber preform structure having said fiber-reinforced polymer in said cavity to an infusion temperature; infusing resin into said dry fiber preform structure and around said fiber-reinforced polymer; and curing said resin-infused fiber preform structure and said fiber-reinforced polymer at a cure temperature higher than said infusion temperature.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed for making co-cured coated composite material comprising composite material prepreg stacks and a coating material, with the coating material comprising an outer layer of thermoplastic film, with the coating material co-cured with the composite material, with the co-cured coating material providing a compressive force on the co-cured coated composite material, components comprising the co-cured coated composite material, and larger structures comprising the co-cured coated composite materials.

Abstract: Tunable thermoplastic polymer sealants and tunable conductive thermoplastic polymer sealants, and edge seals and fillet seals produced from such sealants; and substrates, components and objects comprising the tunable edge seals and fillet seals, and methods for making and applying such edge seals and fillet seals are disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for depositing a radius filler, made of a homogeneous material, into a groove, formed in a workpiece comprises a chassis, first means for extruding the radius filler along an extrusion axis, second means for providing the homogeneous material to the first means, and third means for compacting the radius filler in the groove. The apparatus also comprises a first sensor configured to provide first-sensor output. The apparatus further comprises a controller, operatively coupled to the first means, the second means, and the first sensor. Based on the first-sensor output, the controller is configured to determine the first geometric characteristics of the groove. In addition, based on the first geometric characteristics, the controller is configured to control second geometric characteristics of the radius filler, extruded by the first means, as the tool center point is moved relative to the groove.

Abstract: A fluid-flow-modification plate comprises a monolithic body, having an inlet-side surface, an outlet-side surface, a first passage, a second passage, a third passage, and a fourth passage. The first passage, second passage, third passage, and fourth passage each extend between the inlet-side surface and the outlet-side surface. The first passage and second passage intersect each other at a first intersection boundary. The third passage and fourth passage intersect each other at a second intersection boundary. The first passage and third passage do not intersect each other. The first passage and fourth passage do not intersect each other. The second passage and third passage do not intersect each other. The second passage and fourth passage do not intersect each other. The first-passage-inlet-opening perimeter boundary has single-point contact with the fourth-passage-inlet-opening perimeter boundary.

Abstract: A fluid-flow-modification plate comprises a monolithic body, having an inlet-side surface and an outlet-side surface, a first passage, a second passage, a third passage, and a fourth passage. The first passage, the second passage, the third passage, and the fourth passage each extend between the inlet-side surface and the outlet-side surface. The first passage and the second passage intersect each other at a first intersection boundary. The third passage and the fourth passage intersect each other at a second intersection boundary. The first passage and the third passage do not intersect each other. The second passage and the fourth passage do not intersect each other. The first-passage-inlet-opening perimeter boundary has only two points of intersection with the fourth-passage-inlet-opening perimeter boundary. The second-passage-outlet-opening perimeter boundary has only two points of intersection with the third-passage-outlet-opening perimeter boundary.

Abstract: An apparatus for consolidating fiber-reinforced resin material comprises a housing, comprising a barrel and a receptacle. The receptacle comprises a base, a lid, positionable relative to the base and relative to the barrel such that the housing is in an open state or a closed state, and a de-gassing port. The apparatus comprises a gasket that is in contact with the lid, the base, and the barrel when the housing is in the closed state. The apparatus comprises a piston, movable between a retracted position, in which the piston, in its entirety, is in the barrel, and an extended position, in which a portion of the piston is in the receptacle and another portion of the piston is in the barrel. The apparatus comprises a seal, which is in contact with the piston and the barrel, and a drive system, configured to control movement of the piston.

Abstract: Tunable thermoplastic polymer sealants and tunable conductive thermoplastic polymer sealants, and edge seals and fillet seals produced from such sealants; and substrates, components and objects comprising the tunable edge seals and fillet seals, and methods for making and applying such edge seals and fillet seals are disclosed.

Abstract: A fluid-flow-modification plate comprises a monolithic body, having an inlet-side surface, an outlet-side surface, a first passage, a second passage, a third passage, and a fourth passage. The first passage, second passage, third passage, and fourth passage each extend between the inlet-side surface and the outlet-side surface. The first passage and second passage intersect each other at a first intersection boundary. The third passage and fourth passage intersect each other at a second intersection boundary. The first passage and third passage do not intersect each other. The first passage and fourth passage do not intersect each other. The second passage and third passage do not intersect each other. The second passage and fourth passage do not intersect each other. The first-passage-inlet-opening perimeter boundary has single-point contact with the fourth-passage-inlet-opening perimeter boundary.

Abstract: A fluid-flow-modification plate (200) comprises a monolithic body (300), having an inlet-side surface (301) and an outlet-side surface (302), a first passage (501), a second passage (502), a third passage (503), and a fourth passage (504). The first passage (501), the second passage (502), the third passage (503), and the fourth passage (504) each extend between the inlet-side surface (301) and the outlet-side surface (302). The first passage (501) and the second passage (502) intersect each other at a first intersection boundary (530). The third passage (503) and the fourth passage (504) intersect each other at a second intersection boundary (531). The first passage (501) and the third passage (503) do not intersect each other. The second passage (502) and the fourth passage (504) do not intersect each other. The first-passage-inlet-opening perimeter boundary (311) has only two points of intersection with the fourth-passage-inlet-opening perimeter boundary (314).

Abstract: A beverage mixing assembly for mixing a gas into a liquid to thereby form a solution includes a mixer body having a first upstream inlet configured to receive the gas, a second upstream inlet configured to receive the liquid, and a downstream outlet configured to dispense the solution from the mixer body. The first upstream inlet defines a first orifice configured to spray the gas into the mixer body and the second upstream inlet defines a second orifice configured to spray the liquid into the mixer body such that the gas collides into the liquid as the liquid conveys from the second upstream inlet to the downstream outlet to thereby mix into the liquid and form the solution.

Abstract: A system for depositing a composite filler material into a channel of a composite structure includes an end-effector configured to extrude a bead of the filler material into the channel. The filler material can comprise a first group of relatively long fibers, a second group of relatively short fibers and a resin. A drive system is configured to move the end-effector relative to the channel, and a position sensor is configured to detect the position of the bead relative to the channel. A controller is configured to operate the drive system in response to the detected position and to operate the end-effector to heat and compress the filler material so as to orient the longer fibers in a substantially longitudinal direction relative to the channel and the shorter fibers in substantially random directions relative to the channel when the bead is extruded into the channel.

Abstract: Methods of ultrasonic drilling may be used to form perforated sheets by forming holes through a workpiece using a needle or needle array operatively coupled to an ultrasonic actuator. The needle is brought to repeatedly contact the surface of the workpiece at an ultrasonic operating frequency, thereby forming the hole through the workpiece. Such steps are repeated to form a plurality of holes in the workpiece, thereby forming a perforated sheet which may be used in an acoustic liner for noise attenuation. The workpiece may be heated while the holes are formed, via a remote heating unit that locally heats a portion of the workpiece.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for fabricating and utilizing segmented hollow fibers. One embodiment is a method for fabricating a hollow fiber. The method includes disposing injection needles at orifices of a die, loading the die with a pool of molten material, driving the molten material through the orifices of the die, and iteratively injecting a gas into the molten material at the orifices via the injection needles and pausing injecting the gas as the molten material is driven through the orifices of the die, resulting in discrete hollow chambers within molten material exiting the die. The method also includes cooling the molten material into a hollow fiber that includes the discrete hollow chambers.

Abstract: Needle arrays for forming ultrasonic perforations may be formed from additive manufacturing and with non-circular cross-sectional areas for forming a plurality of holes, or perforations, in a thin sheet material. Methods of forming a plurality of perforations in a thin sheet of a composite material may include positioning the thin sheet under the needle array, repeatedly contacting the surface of the thin sheet to form perforations therein, translating the thin sheet and/or the needle array such that a different area of the thin sheet is positioned under the needle array, and again repeatedly contacting the surface of the thin sheet to form the perforations therein. Related systems may include an ultrasonic actuator, a needle array, and a remote heating unit configured to heat the workpiece while the perforations are formed therein.

Abstract: Tunable thermoplastic polymer powder feedstock formulations and tunable conductive thermoplastic polymer powder feedstock formulations are disclosed for delivery to a high-velocity sprayer are presently disclosed, along with tunable coatings made from the disclosed formulations, and methods for delivering such tunable thermoplastic polymer coatings to substrates.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a selenium-doped MXene material and a preparation method thereof, comprising the following steps: (1) adding MXene and an organic selenium source into a dispersant, and stirring to prepare a dispersion with a concentration of 10 mg/ml to 100 mg/ml, wherein a mass ratio of MXene and an organic selenium source is 0.1 to 1:1; (2) transferring the dispersion into a reaction kettle, heating to 110° C. to 230° C., reacting for 10 h to 30 h, and then naturally cooling to a room temperature; and (3) washing the product obtained in the step (2) with a cleaning agent, centrifuging to collect a precipitate, and drying the precipitate under vacuum to obtain the selenium-doped MXene material. The composite material prepared by the present invention has high specific surface area, good electrical conductivity, cycle stability performance, rate performance and high theoretical specific capacity.

Abstract: A consolidation system configured to consolidate a bulk molding compound, the apparatus comprises a barrel, a low compression first stage within the barrel, a high compression second stage within the barrel coupled with the low compression first stage, a die breaker coupled to the high compression second stage, and an extrusion die coupled to the die breaker. The low compression first stage includes a low compression screw for mixing and compressing a bulk molding compound comprising a resin and fillers. The high compression second stage includes a high compression screw for compressing the bulk molding compound into a compressed material. The die breaker comprises at least one of a plurality of holes or a plurality of slots.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a composite wing structural component for an aircraft is described. The method comprises extruding a filler material into each mold channel of a plurality of mold channels of a die to form a plurality of filler segments, removing the plurality of filler segments from the plurality of mold channels of the die, and arranging the plurality of filler segments in a space in the composite structural component, the space being defined by a radius of the composite structural component, such that the filler segments are in end-to-end contact. The method further comprises curing the plurality of filler segments in the space to fuse the plurality of filler segments.