Dual-matrix composites
Thin fiber reinforced polymer composite shells are commonly employed in deployable space structures as the small material thickness allows bending to small radii and hence folding of the structures. However, the thin material also results in a tradeoff for the deployed structural thickness. We investigate composite materials with localized inclusions of a soft elastomeric matrix. The elastomeric composite enables even smaller fold radii through elastic fiber micro-buckling on the compression side of the fold, thereby allowing to increase structural thickness elsewhere. Deployable structures made from this material are analogous to composite origami. The material furthermore enables integration of antenna functionality through embedding of metallic meshes into the composite laminate. Our research investigates the stiffness of dual matrix composite structures, develops finite element modelling techniques to understand their packaging and deployment, and evaluates application to large satellite structures.
Related Publications:
- Sakovsky, M., & Pellegrino, S. (2019). Closed cross-section dual-matrix composite hinge for deployable structures. Composite Structures, 208, 784-795.
- Sakovsky, M., Pellegrino, S., & Costantine, J. (2017). Rapid design of deployable antennas for CubeSats. IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, 59(2), 50-58.
- Gupta, A., Costantine, J., Tawk, Y., Christodoulou, C., Pellegrino, S., & Sakovsky, M. (2016). A deployable Vivaldi-fed conical horn antenna for CubeSats. IEEE Radio Science Meeting.
- Sakovsky, M., Pellegrino, S., & Mallikarachchi, H. (2016). Folding and deployment of closed cross-section dual-matrix composite booms. AIAA Scitech Forum.
- Costantine, J., Tawk, Y., Maqueda, I., Olson, G., Sakovsky, M., Pellegrino, S., & Christodoulou, C. (2016). UHF deployable helical antennas for CubeSats. IEEE Transactions of Antennas and Propagation, 64(9), 3751-3759.
- Sakovsky, M., Maqueda, I., Karl, C., Pellegrino, S., & Costantine, J. (2015). Dual-matrix composite wideband antenna structures for CubeSats. AIAA Scitech Forum.