Speaker
Description
Safran has developed an innovative 3D-woven composite technology capable of producing impact-resistant structural materials with tailored through-thickness reinforcement. This technology, which has already proven its reliability in aeronautical applications, offers distinct advantages in preventing delamination—a major failure mode in classical laminated composites—while ensuring robust performance under extreme dynamic loads.
To assess the performance of our 3D-woven composites against hypervelocity impacts, a dedicated experimental campaign was conducted using an 8-mm diameter aluminum sphere as projectile on both traditional aluminum shields and multilayer shield configurations incorporating the 3D-woven composite. Four impact tests were performed at velocities ranging from 1.4 to 4.2 km/s, systematically comparing the behavior of aluminum (Al/Al/Al) with that of composite-based shields (composite/composite/Al). Post-impact analysis confirmed that our 3D-woven composites did not exhibit any delamination, thereby enabling resistance to multiple impacts. This exceptional damage tolerance is a direct consequence of the three-dimensional fiber architecture, which controls crack propagation and maintains structural integrity where conventional laminates would fail catastrophically.
However, our current carbon fiber/epoxy composite variant, though structurally superior in terms of damage containment, did not outperform Aluminum T6 in terms of ballistic limit as a bumper. This finding points toward material optimization avenues, in particular the exploration of hybrid 3D-woven architectures incorporating Nextel, aramid, and ceramic fibers, potentially coupled with thin metallic foils, to further enhance impact resistance without sacrificing the no-delamination advantage.
This presentation will detail our experimental results—including failure modes, ejecta geometry, and comparison to theoretical ballistic limit equations. We will also discuss ongoing and future work aimed at developing next-generation composite shields for space debris protection. Our approach and findings underscore the potential of 3D-woven composite materials to contribute to safer, more reliable spacecraft, aligned with the objectives of the Clean Space initiative.