Tailored Adhesives for High-Strain-Rate Applications

UDC proposes to further optimize the formulations developed in the Phase I program to provide high strain adhesives with improved the integrity and reliability of structural bonded joints to reduce the number of bolts needed for a mechanically joined component. This will increase overall performance, including blast and ballistic impact survivability, and allow reduction of fasteners with subsequent savings in cost and weight. The selected Phase I formulations will be the basis for a successful Phase II program in which the objectives will be to further improve the strength and displacement which will be qualified and production ready by the end of the Phase II program. During this Phase II program, the selected Phase I formulations will be extensively tested to include high strain rate property determination, adhesive joint testing, and effects of environmental conditions. The adhesive, developed by UDC will undergo tests under ballistic bending, ballistic shear and blast simulation loading conditions at room temperature, high temperature, low temperature, and high humidity as defined by MIL-STD-810G. A gallon of the selected adhesive and final report will be submitted to the program sponsor at the end of Phase II program.