A LIGHT CURING FUEL TANK REPAIR SEALANT

INTEGRAL FUEL TANKS ARE COMMON TO AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS. FUEL TANK REPAIRS ARE SIGNIFICIANT COST ITEM BECAUSE OF MAINTENANCE FREQUENCY AND TIME TO AFFECT REPAIR. CONVENTIONAL FUEL TANK SEALANTS, SUCH AS POLYSULFIDES, REQUIRE HOURS TO CURE. THIS IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO REPAIR TIME. A REACTIVE ADHESIVE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED WHICH CAN BE THERMALLY OR PHOTOEXITATION INITIATED. THE REACTIVE SPECIES IS CAPABLE OF COVALENT BOND FORMATION WITH A VARIETY OF STRUCTURES. INCORPORATED INTO A SEALANT MATERIAL, IT PROVIDES A MEANS BY WHICH UV LIGHT CAN AFFECT CURE WHILE IMPROVING THE BOND STRENGTH BETWEEN SEALANT AND FUEL TANK. A FLUOROSILICON WILL BE USED AS A MODEL SEALANT COMPOUND IN PHASE I. UV CURING AGENTS TERMINATED WITH PDA'S PROPRIETARY REACTIVE FUNCTIONALITY WILL BE SYNTHESIZED. PHOTOCHEMICAL ACTIVATION OF THESE AGENTS WILL BE STUDIED. PHOTOCHEMICALLY CURED FLUOROSILICON ADHESIVES WILL BE FORMULATED. MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE CURED ADHESIVE WILL BE MEASURED AS WILL ITS ADHESION STRENGTH WITH ALUMINUM AND NEOPRENE.