Temperature Measurements of Flame-Sprayed Aluminum-Polymer Composite Flat Plates

Temperature distribution of a thin oxy-acetylene flame-sprayed aluminum layer on glass fiber-reinforced epoxy flat plates was determined experimentally. The composite plates were fabricated by filament winding. Following winding, but prior to and during curing, garnet sand was uniformly distributed on the glass fiber-reinforced epoxy plate surface. The sand roughened the surface such that there was adhesion of molten aluminum particles during oxy-acetylene flame spraying. A heating source and temperature sensors were attached to the composite and coating surfaces to determine the surface temperature distribution experimentally. The steady-state temperature of the coating surface decayed uniformly from the heating source. The polymer experienced significant temperature increase near the heat source; however, far away from the heating source, no temperature change was observed. Contrarily, the aluminum coating experienced considerable temperature change away from the heating source. These results indicate that for large flame-sprayed aluminum-epoxy composites, the metallic coating is effective for conducting heat while the polymer acts as an insulator.