EVALUATION OF HIGH TEMPERATURE ADHESIVE FOR REENTRY VEHICLES

THE NORTON AIR FORCE BASE EXPRESSED A NEED FOR A HIGH TEMPERATURE ADHESIVE SYSTEM FOR REENTRY VEHICLES. THE ADHESIVE WILL BE BONDED TO ALUMINUM, CARBON FIBERS AND SILICA MATERIALS. IT IS PROPOSED THAT COMMERCIAL SOURCES BE EXPLORED INITIALLY TO DETERMINE IF ANY WILL MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS. THEN IF NONE IF OUND THAT AN ADHESIVE BE FORMULATED. THIS WILL BE PERFORMED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF INDUSTRIAL, GOVERNMENT AND UNIVERSITY STAFF PERSONNEL. THE STUDY HAS BEEN SEPARATED INTO NINE TASK OBJECTIVES. THESE WILL SPECIFICALLY STUDY SELECTED ADHESIVE SYSTEMS FOR THE REQUIREMENTS LISTED BY THE AIR FORCE. ONE OF THE TASKS INVOLVED AN EXAMINATION OF THE SURFACE PREPARATION OF THE COMPOSITES TO BE USED IN THIS STUDY. THE GOVERNING CRITERIA OF MOST EXAMINATIONS WILL BE THE LAP SHEAR TEST. IN THE INITIAL STUDIES STELL COUPONS WILL BE USED TO ELIMINATE THE VARIABLE OF THE COMPOSITE AND REDUCE COSTS. WE FEEL THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF ADHESIVE BONDING AND OUR TECHNICAL STAFF IS EXPERIENCED IS EVALUATION AND SELECTION OF AN OPTIMUM METHOD OF SURFACE PREPARATION.