Smart hinges for self-deployable solar sails have been prototyped by using shape memory polymer composites (SMPCs). During hinge lamination, a shape memory (SM) epoxy resin is deposited between carbon fiber reinforced (CFR) plies, and consolidation is obtained by an out-of-autoclave (OOA) process. The smart hinges have been assembled with CFR booms to prototype a small self-deployable square sail. Polymeric supports, made by fused deposition modelling (FDM), have been added for correct assembly and to drive the recovery of the SMPC hinges. Flexible heaters have been used as heating elements for SMPC hinge activation. The sail consisted of a polyimide membrane which was connected with the composite booms by flexible joints. The solar sail prototype size has been limited to 260  260 mm2 for on-Earth testing, with 4 hinges at the middle length of the composite booms. Recovery tests have shown the ability of the smart hinges to overcome the sail weight and additional friction forces, and the small sail has been successfully deployed in laboratory. Full recovery has been achieved in less than 3 min under different configurations.
Shape memory polymer composite hinges for solar sails / Iorio, L.; Quadrini, F; . Santo L, .; Circi, C.; Cavallini, E.; Pellegrini, Rc.. - In: ADVANCES IN SPACE RESEARCH. - ISSN 0273-1177. - 74:7(2024), pp. 3201-3215. [10.1016/j.asr.2024.07.010]
Shape memory polymer composite hinges for solar sails
Circi C.;Cavallini E.;Pellegrini RC.
2024
Abstract
Smart hinges for self-deployable solar sails have been prototyped by using shape memory polymer composites (SMPCs). During hinge lamination, a shape memory (SM) epoxy resin is deposited between carbon fiber reinforced (CFR) plies, and consolidation is obtained by an out-of-autoclave (OOA) process. The smart hinges have been assembled with CFR booms to prototype a small self-deployable square sail. Polymeric supports, made by fused deposition modelling (FDM), have been added for correct assembly and to drive the recovery of the SMPC hinges. Flexible heaters have been used as heating elements for SMPC hinge activation. The sail consisted of a polyimide membrane which was connected with the composite booms by flexible joints. The solar sail prototype size has been limited to 260 260 mm2 for on-Earth testing, with 4 hinges at the middle length of the composite booms. Recovery tests have shown the ability of the smart hinges to overcome the sail weight and additional friction forces, and the small sail has been successfully deployed in laboratory. Full recovery has been achieved in less than 3 min under different configurations.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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