Simulation and experiment analysis of relationship between voids and permeability of composites

Due to the significant weight reduction advantage, aerospace composite tanks have become the focus of international competition of spacecraft. However, the permeation of small molecules at low temperature caused by the internal voids of composites is one of the key technical problems which restrict the engineering application of composite tanks. In this study, a combination of theoretical research and experimental research was adopted. By changing the curing pressures of the composites’ autoclave process, laminates with different porosities were prepared and tested for low-temperature permeability. Based on the grayscale processing and median filtering methods, a permeability prediction model with the true voids morphology of composite materials was established. Based on the random medium theory, the random voids model of composites was built to study the effect of void size and shape on the permeability of laminates. The results showed that the finite element analysis of composites, permeability based on the real voids morphology model was in good agreement with the experimental results, which proved the feasibility of this method. The permeation rate of laminates increased with the raised of porosity, and the internal porosity of the laminates could be diminished by improving the curing pressure so as to reduce the permeation of the composite components. Under the condition of a certain porosity, the laminates with small, stripe voids had a higher permeation rate than the laminates with large, circular voids.