Single Component Sealant for Watertight Integrity and Corrosion Control

Flight deck maintenance crews frequently remove and replace aircraft access panels just prior to takeoff. Complete and rapid sealing of these panels is critical to corrosion prevention. Fasteners are currently sealed with a two component formulation which is often incompletely cured at takeoff. During the flight, air flow pushes the uncured sealant away, and corrosion protection is compromised. Mixing the current sealant is slow and cumbersome, and the sealing operation is often eliminated. Typical one component sealants rely on the diffusion of moisture or air throughout the sealant to achieve cure. This makes it extremely difficult to formulate a one component sealant that can cure rapidly in tight spaces. Texas Research Institute Austin, Inc. (TRI/Austin) proposes a one component heat activated sealant as the solution to these problems. Cure is initiated by a heated applicator and continues at room temperature after application. During the Phase I effort, a number of candidate heat activated sealants will be formulated, tested, and compared with existing sealant military specifications. Two methods of heat activation will be evaluated and tested with the candidate sealants. The most promising formulation and applicator device will be delivered to the sponsor at the end of the effort.