Mechanical and Thermal Characterization of Aero Grade Polymethyl Matha Acrylate Polymer used in Aircraft Canopy
R. K. Raghuwanshi1, V. K. Verma2
1R. K. Raghuwanshi, Research Scholar, Shri Venkateshwara University, Gujrat, India.
2V. K. Verma, Maharana Pratap Engineering College, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Manuscript received on May 21, 2014. | Revised Manuscript received on June 14, 2014. | Manuscript published on June 30, 2014. | PP: 216-219 | Volume-3, Issue-5, June 2014. | Retrieval Number: E3220063514/2013©BEIESP
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: Aircraft canopies are designed for high visibility and resistance to damage from foreign objects. The trend in aircraft canopy design is towards stronger, tougher, and thicker canopies. The drive towards lighter aircraft is leading towards the trend to reduce weight associated with the systems. The system must be reliable, safe, lighter in weight, and cost effective. Acrylics are thermoplastics which are widely used in diverse industries such as building, automotives, lighting appliances and aircrafts. The term acrylics not only covers the polymers and resins made from acrylics esters, but also polymerisable derivatives of both acrylics and methacrylic acids as well as the acid chlorides nitrides and amides. Natural gas, compressed gas and acetone are the basic raw materials from which monomers for acrylics resins are produced. By combining the carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen from the natural gas and air, methanol and ammonia are obtained. These raw materials and intermediates are then converted in several steps to PMMA and other members of broad family of acrylics monomers Polymerization is accompanied by adding organic catalyst and heat to the reactive mixture through either bulk, suspension or emulsion polymerization. Moreover, stress whitening quantification methods in the literature are simply used to compare different testing conditions or material compositions. A new approach for stress whitening quantification is essential for establishment of quality control over thermoformed products and development of possible relations between stress whitening level and the state of thermoformed product. It is also desirable to replicate actual thermoforming procedure on small scale samples rather than large size panels in order to reduce the cost and the labor in such experimental studies. PMMA are virtually unaffected by alkalis, hydrocarbons acids, saltwater, photographic or battery solution. PMMA resins are available in a complete range of transparent, translucent, opaque and custom colors in varying grades of melt flow and heat resistance. Other properties include a high Young’s modulus and greater hardness. PMMA is one of the hardest and highly scratch resistant thermoplastic. Parts made of PMMA have high mechanical strength and good dimensional stability.
Keywords: Poly methyl methaacrylate, Aircraft canopy, Environmental degradation, Mathematical modeling.