Ambient Temperature-Curable Bond Primer for Bonded Repair

Current damage repair techniques use thermally accelerated adhesive bonding to restore the original design strength of sandwich structures. In practice, several significant problems exist with on-aircraft thermally cured sandwich repair methods. There is a critical need for new and better performing ambient temperature curing primers offering good thermal stability and corrosion protection for aircraft bonded repairs. Texas Research Institute Austin, Inc. (TRI) in the Phase I SBIR effort developed an ambient temperature cured, heat stable, corrosion protective, adhesive primer. This material facilitates rapid bonded repairs to aluminum honeycomb panels on aircraft in a flight line or hangar environment. This unique primer has been developed for use between the face skin and the honeycomb core. A comprehensive adhesive/primer development program will be executed in the Phase II to insure product viability, confidence in the repairs, develop specifications, and to prepare for Phase III transition and commercialization. The new primer will reduce maintenance man hours, enhance corrosion protection, and multiply aircraft availability. This Phase II responds to needs for development, testing, specification, packaging, production, and ultimately demonstration as a repair material for damaged C-5 honeycomb panels. This proposed project will mitigate heating issues, cost, and maintainers time associated with sandwich repair.