Bonding of composite materials

摘要

Peel ply for surface preparation and a method of surface preparation prior to adhesive bonding. A resin-rich peel ply is applied onto a curable, resin-based composite substrate, followed by co-curing. After co-curing, the composite substrate is fully cured but the matrix resin in the peel ply remains partially cured. When the peel ply is removed, a roughened, bondable surface with chemically-active functional groups is revealed. The composite substrate with the chemically-active, bondable surface may be bonded to another composite substrate to form a covalently-bonded structure.

主权项

1. A method for surface preparation prior to adhesive bonding comprising:
(a) providing a composite substrate comprising reinforcing fibers impregnated with a curable, first matrix resin; (b) applying a removable, resin-rich peel ply onto a surface of the composite substrate, said peel ply comprising a woven fabric impregnated with a curable, second matrix resin different from the first matrix resin; (c) co-curing the composite substrate and the peel ply until the composite substrate is fully cured but the second matrix resin in the peel ply remains partially cured; and (d) removing the peel ply from the composite substrate's surface, leaving a thin film of partially cured second matrix resin on the composite substrate's surface, said thin film providing a roughened, bondable surface with chemically-active functional groups.