NASA 1996 SBIR Phase I

PROJECT TITLE : Novel Adhesives for Space Applications

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)

Adhesives for bonding and joining structures are needed that must operate in the extreme environments of space. Those environments include a wide operating temperature range from cryogenic to 227*C, vacuum, and often radiation. It is difficult to formulate adhesives with the required properties for use in that environment. We propose to investigate a novel polymer system based on liquid crystalline thermosets (LCTs) for use in space qualified adhesive systems. These systems offer the potential advantages of good fracture toughness at low temperatures while retaining good high temperature properties. In addition, they exhibit low moisture absorption, low outgassing, low thermal expansion coefficients, and good chemical and thermal stability needed for space applications. The adhesive material will be modeled on known examples of melt-processable or thermotropic LCTs. The inherent low melt viscosity of liquid crystalline materials should bring about several processing advantages in adhesive applications and blending with thermoplastic liquid crystalline polymers can be used to control viscosity and fracture toughness in the final adhesive formulation.

If the results anticipated from this work are indeed obtained, significant commercial interest in the high-temperature adhesives that will be a direct result of this work is expected. In addition, the guidelines developed for further LCT adhesive research and the relationships noted between chemical structure and adhesive bond properties will be a tremendous aid to developing the next generation of adhesives suitable for use at even higher temperatures.

Dr. Andrea E. Hoyt
Adherent Technologies,
9621 Camino del Sol NE,
Albuquerque, NM 87111

Adherent Technologies,
9621 Camino del Sol NE,
Albuquerque, NM 87111