Electron beam processing of composites: overview, benefits, and applications

Advanced polymeric composites have been baselined for structural components in spacecraft since composites were first developed in the 1960s. These materials and their associated processes offer many benefits and are of specific interest for current and future space systems due to the fact that they can provide significant weight savings, tailorable mechanical and physical properties, and low and controllable coefficients of thermal expansion. Electron beam processing is a method that has been demonstrated for the processing of structural composites, which may offer future space systems additional design freedoms and advantages over conventional autoclave processes. This paper provides an overview of electron beam processing of advanced polymeric composites and suggests applications of the technology for future space systems