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TEMBOŽ Shape Memory Polymers and Elastic Memory Composites TEMBOŽ is a family of thermoset (epoxy) shape-memory polymers
(SMP) developed by CTD. These polymers have been used to create
TEMBOŽ Elastic Memory Composites.
TEMBOŽ Elastic Memory Composites
TEMBOŽ Elastic Memory Composites (EMC) combine the structural
properties of fiber reinforced composites with shape memory characteristics
of shape memory polymers. Components and structures fabricated
with TEMBOŽ EMC materials can provide lightweight structures
that are strong and stiff. Additionally, they can be folded,
rolled, or otherwise packaged to a different shape for storage
and later returned to the original as-manufactured shape, without
loss of performance. This shape change is affected by use of
a thermo mechanical process (see series of figures), where heat
and force are required to package, and heat alone is needed to
deploy the TEMBOŽ EMC component back to its 'as-fabricated' shape.
TEMBOŽ components can replace mechanical systems with a deployable
material that becomes an integral part of the deployed structure.
TEMBOŽ Elastic Memory Composite (EMC) materials can accommodate
high strain without damage, while providing very high deployed
stiffness and strength-to-weight performance. This enables the
design of simple, rigid, deployable composite structures that
can be compactly packaged, efficiently integrated with other
equipment, and reliably deployed with predictable performance.
Characteristics and Benefits of TEMBOŽ Components and
Structures
- High strength to weight ratio
- Large volume reduction when packaged
- Reduced part counts, as the EMC structure eliminates complex
moving parts associated with traditional deployment mechanisms.
- Reduced costs, with fewer parts to assemble, qualify and/or
inspect.
- Lower mass, since the EMC material is multifunctional, replacing
multiple dedicated components from traditional systems.
- EMC device can:
- Provide necessary deployment forces
- Function as the primary structure once deployed
- Dampen excessive deployment energy
- No mechanical force required to regain original shape, only
applied heat
- Customized transition temperatures to meet specific application
requirements
- Can package and deploy multiple times
TEMBOŽ Redefines Space Deployment Mechanisms
The requirements and needs for spacecraft deployable structures
have provided an excellent proving ground for TEMBOŽ EMC components
and structures.
In December 2006 two spaceflights incorporated the use of TEMBOŽ EMC
materials. On the Air Force's TacSat 2, TEMBOŽ EMC hinges deployed
a solar array. While the Elastic Memory Composite Hinge (EMCH)
experiment demonstrated the reliability and robustness of the
TEMBOŽ EMC hinges aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
This heritage of space performance will ensure future mission
managers that TEMBOŽ composites are ready to fly.
TEMBOŽ is the start of something big! With the use of TEMBOŽ deployable
structures, traditional size and scaling barriers for spacecraft
deployable systems are vanishing. Future mission concepts requiring
large lightweight structures are now near realization. Based
on TEMBOŽ composites, CTD is developing RAPDAR, Roll-out and
Passively Deployed Array, a lightweight deployable solar array
that can provide more power to satellites than currently available
solar arrays. CTD is also using TEMBOŽ materials to develop large
aperture, high frequency reflectors that will provide more bandwidth
at a lower cost than current reflector designs.
RAPDAR Solar Array |
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TEMBOŽ Large Aperture,
High Frequency Reflectors |
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EMCH Flight Hardware |
TEMBOŽ EMC Providing New Capabilities in Many Markets
TEMBOŽ EMC and TEMBOŽ Foams are being qualified for a variety
of products for use in space, on aircraft and unmanned air vehicles
(UAVs), for marine and maritime structures, in oil and gas equipment,
automotive components, medical devices, composite tooling, and
other industrial applications.
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