Date of Award

12-1991

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

First Advisor

Edward S. Kolesar, Jr., PhD

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to design an Interdigitated Gate Electrode Field-Effect Transistor (IGEFET) and evaluate its performance as an in situ resin cure monitor. A commercially available resin was selected for the research, and rheological studies were performed to identify the resin's gelation point during isothermal cures at two selected temperatures. Additional rheological studies were performed to identify the resin's glass transition temperature. The interdigitated gate electrode of the IGEFET was coated with samples of the resin, and electrical measurements were performed while the resin cured. The chemical changes which occur in the resin as a result of curing were manifested in the interdigitated gate electrode's electrical characteristics. The result reveal that the IGEFET is capable of sensing the electrical impedance changes, and hence the chemical changes, which occur during the resin's cure. In particular, the chemical changes due to gelation are evident in the IGEFET's electrical response data. In addition, the resin which was cured at the higher temperature was close to its glass transition temperature, and hence softer than the resin cured at the lower temperature, and the IGEFET was capable of detecting this difference.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GE-ENG-91D-55

DTIC Accession Number

ADA243713

Comments

The author's Vita page is omitted.

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