Advanced Aerospace Adhesives Having Simple Application and Debonding Properties

Sub-Miniaturized Telemetry (SMT), Global Positioning System (GPS) packages and associated accessories are frequently bonded to missile and aircraft for flight testing and removed. Removing typical aerospace adhesives from metallic and composite substrates often requires high heat, solvents, abrasion or other potentially damaging forces. The proposed adhesive system seeks to provide simple bond application and removal procedures through the incorporation of a thermally activated debonding agent. This agent will be applied at the adhesive-substrate interface and at normal operating temperatures will not affect the integrity of the bonded structure. When disassembling, the application of heat in excess of the agent's critical temperature will result in clean disbondment of the adhered parts. The experimental part of this effort will involve preparing the novel thermal release agents and applying them with commerical aerospace adhesives. The feasibility of the concept will be tested by bonding simulated GPS modules on coated aircraft alloys and composites, measuring initial bond strength and debonding by heat the bondline above the critical temperature. The characteristics of the adhesive, thermal release additives, and processing methods will be also defined for this application.