Nanocomposite for Electrically Conductive Structural Adhesives and Bolt Hole Fillers

Existing electrically-conductive structural adhesives utilize large amounts of silver particles to achieve their desired electrical properties. There unfortunately exists a limit as to how much an adhesive’s electrical properties can be enhanced using this approach due to mechanical property degradation past a certain loading of the electrically-enhancing phase. It is therefore difficult to achieve both significantly enhanced electrical and mechanical properties in one adhesive system that cures within the desired time. Luna Innovations proposes to achieve this required electrical conductivity with enhanced mechanical properties (adhesive strength) through the unique dispersion of novel functionalized carbon nanotubes. Luna’s approach is to use commercial off the shelf (COTS) epoxy adhesive/filler systems that are currently in use with the Air Force and disperse unique inorganically-modified carbon nanotubes within them using existing COTS dispersing aids. Promising systems will be characterized both electrically and mechanically.