CARBON-CARBON COMPOSITES HAVE BEEN EVALUATED AS TOOLING MATERIAL FOR CONSOLIDATION OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITES. INITIAL TESTS RUN USING CARBON- CARBON TO PROCESS PEEK/CARBON FIBER REINFORCED COMPOSITE PANELS AT 750F AND 200 PSI HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL. CARBON- CARBON PROPERTIES ARE SUPERIOR TO THOSE OF THE BEST GRAPHITE TOOLING MATERIALS (TYPE ATJ) IN IMPORTANT WAYS INCLUDING A TOUGHNESS AND FLEXURAL STRENGTH. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THESE PROPERTIES CAN BE EXPLOITED TO THE ADVANTAGE OF THE FABRICATOR.
