Current field level repair techniques use thermally accelerated adhesive bonding to restore the original design strength of the composite laminate. Unfortunately, airframe structural members act as heat sinks, and make it difficult to obtain a uniform cure temperature profiles. Current resin repair systems require low temperature storage, increasing storage cost and support complexity.
TRI Austin developed ultraviolet curable glass composites optimized and designed specifically for quick field repair of damaged aircraft. These high Tg UV cure resins and glass prepreg patches offer a field friendly, cost effective solution to the current repair problem. The new aircraft field repair materials are easily applied, include a resin with a moderate viscosity, have a high glass transition temperature after cure, require no mixing, and cure in place without the addition of heat.
