Aerospace industry, epoxy

Of all the resins used by the aerospace industry, epoxy resins have, by far, gained the widest acceptance. They offer a versatility that is unattainable by any of the other materials that will be... 

Boron filaments are formed by the chemical vapor deposition of boron trichloride on tungsten wire. High performance reinforcing boron fibers are available from 10—20 mm in diameter. These are used mainly in epoxy resins and aluminum and titanium. Commercial uses include golf club shafts, tennis and squash racquets, and fishing rods. The primary use is in the aerospace industry. 

Boron Trichloride. Approximately 75—95% of the BCl consumed iu the United States is used to prepare boron filaments by CVD (7). These high performance fibers are used to reinforce composite materials (qv) made from epoxy resius and metals (Al, Ti). The principal markets for such composites are aerospace industries and sports equipment manufacturers. 

Eor more demanding uses at higher temperatures, for example, in aircraft and aerospace and certain electrical and electronic appHcations, multifunctional epoxy resin systems based on epoxy novolac resins and the tetraglycidyl amine of methylenedianiline are used. The tetraglycidyl amine of methylenedianiline is currently the epoxy resin most often used in advance composites. Tetraglycidyl methylenedianiline [28768-32-3] (TGALDA) cured with diamino diphenyl sulfone [80-08-0] (DDS) was the first system to meet the performance requirements of the aerospace industry and is still used extensively. 

Adhesives and sealers can be an important part of a total corrosion protection system. Structural bonding procedures and adhesives for aluminum, polymer composites, and titanium are well established in the aerospace industry. Structural bonding of steel is gaining increasing prominence in the appliance and automotive industries. The durability of adhesive bonds has been discussed by a number of authors (see, e.g., 85). The effects of aggressive environments on adhesive bonds are of particular concern. Minford ( ) has presented a comparative evaluation of aluminum joints in salt water exposure Smith ( ) has discussed steel-epoxy bond endurance under hydrothermal stress Drain et al. (8 ) and Dodiuk et al. (8 ) have presented results on the effects of water on performance of various adhesive/substrate combinations. In this volume, the durability of adhesive bonds in the presence of water and in corrosive environments is discussed by Matienzo et al., Gosselin, and Holubka et al. The effects of aggressive environments on adhesively bonded steel structures have a number of features in common with their effects on coated steel, but the mechanical requirements placed on adhesive bonds add an additional level of complication. 

Observations for cured epoxy resins and resins derived from 1,2-polybutadlene crosslinked with t-butylstyrene are reported. These resins find applications in aerospace industry, including high performance, Kevlar 49, filament wound, pressure vessels on Skylab and the Space Shuttle. 

These resins, extensively used in the aerospace industry, consist of an epoxy resin component, often based on epichlorohydrin and a curing agent, and comprise the following epoxy or glycidyl group ... 

Epoxy adhesives are chemical compounds used to join components by providing a bond between two surfaces. Epoxy adhesives were introduced commercially in 1946 and have wide applications in the automotive, industrial, and aerospace markets. Epoxies are probably the most versatile family of adhesives because they bond well to many substrates and can be easily modified to achieve widely varying properties. This modification usually takes the form of... 

The early aerospace adhesives were primarily based on epoxy resin chemistry. However, unique applications requiring high temperatures and fatigue resistance have forced the development of epoxy-phenolic, epoxy-nitrile, epoxy-nylon, and epoxy-vinyl adhesives specifically for this industry. The aerospace industry has led in the development and utilization of these epoxy-hybrid adhesives. 

These hybrid epoxy adhesives are generally used for demanding structural applications such as in the aerospace industry where the optimal properties from each component are desired. For example, epoxy is generally used to provide good adhesion and processing characteristics. They are blended with the following resins to provide additional improvements in the properties noted. 

Epoxy-nitrile Nitrile-epoxy adhesives are composed of solid epoxy resin modified with carboxyl-terminated butadiene nitrile (CTBN) copolymer. The CBTN is introduced into die epoxy resin at elevated temperatures. The modification provides toughness and high peel strength without sacrificing heat and chemical resistance. The film adhesives are widely used in the aerospace industry in the construction of jetliners. 

Compared to the carboxylated nitrile elastomer additives, the use of thermoplastics has primarily been focused on the aerospace industry. On a cost per pound basis, the two-phase nitrile additives offer the best combination of property improvement without negative impact. The thermoplastic additives, however, may offer better high-temperature performance, but they are more difficult to formulate and to process as adhesives. As a result, the cost of these adhesives is generally much higher than that of other toughened epoxy mechanisms. 

Tape and film adhesives are most often used to bond large areas, such as for applications in the aerospace industry. For example, the joining of aluminum honeycomb structure to flat metal skins is often accomplished with thermosetting epoxy film adhesives. These films (Fig. 13.1) can easily be applied without the need to mix, meter, or apply a liquid coating. 

Savia, Epoxy Resin Adhesives, and Politi, Structural Adhesives in the Aerospace Industry. ... 

Epoxy resins bind graphite and polymer fibers into laminates used in the aerospace industry. 

The work described herein relates primarily to lamination and bonding processes. However, the techniques are generic to most forms of thermoset resin processing. In the discussion which follows many of the resin systems contain glycidyl amines. The bulk of the epoxy formulations used in the aerospace industry today are based on tetraglycidylmethylenedianiline, I (TGMDA) and with diaminodi phenylsulfone, II (DOS). Systems based on... 

Highly cross-linked epoxy resins combine high strength stiffness thermal, chemical, and environmental stability adhesion low weight processability excellent creep resistance and favorable economics. These resins are widely applied as coatings, casting resins, structural adhesives, and matrix resins of advanced composite materials. The broad spectrum of applications ranges from the automotive and aerospace industries to corrosion protection and microelectronics. 

Although the polyurethanes form useful adhesive bonds, particularly between metals and elastomers, their use in the aerospace industry for bonding purposes is limited. Because polyurethanes tend to depolymerize above 120 °C and are subject to hydrolysis, and because aromatic urethanes autoxidize when exposed to thermal or UV light (13). epoxies are the preferred bonding material. Recently they were studied as launch seals for both land and sea missile launch tubes and were found to be superior to seals based on neoprene rubber (14). The chemical reaction for this application is proposed to be that between isocyanates and amines (Reaction 3). 

Improvements in both materials and processes have made RTM a viable option for aerospace manufacturing. However, it normally takes 10 to 15 years for a new technology to become accepted in the aerospace industry. Use of RTM began about 1998 when Lockheed Martin (Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.A.) selected RTM for many of the F/A-22 Raptor s structural components. RPs comprise approximately 27 wt% of the F/A-22 s structural weight (24% TS and 3% TP). RTM accounts for more than 400 parts, made with epoxy resins. The wing s sine wave spars were probably the first structural application of RTM composites in an aircraft. For a vertical tail on another Lockheed Martin aircraft, the RTM process reduced the part count from 13 to one, eliminated almost 1,000 festeners, and reduced manufacturing costs by more than 60%. 

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