Aerospace Structures

Aircraft Composite Bonding

With composite frames becoming more prominent in the aircraft industry, composite materials for aircraft structures have become more advanced. To preserve the structural integrity of critical aircraft components, manufacturers need adhesives that ensure strong bonds between composite sub-components with excellent chemical resistance and extraordinary mechanical performance. LOCTITE^® products for aerospace composite bonding fulfill all these requirements and allow engineers to create strong and efficient aircraft structures.

Needing no fasteners, our adhesives for composite bonding lower adherent thickness that lets you take full advantage of stiffness properties of composites and provides a separation of dissimilar materials.

Metal Honeycomb Bonding

In the honeycomb and metal assembly segment, Henkel offers metal bonding films for original construction and repair qualified to all major aerospace specifications. LOCTITE^® films are one component, heat curing thin film adhesives. These materials are specifically designed for maximum durability, high strength, and toughness with temperature resistance designed for their operating environment.

Composite Surface Preparation

There are two primary methods for adhesive bond preparation of the surface of a pre-cured carbon fiber composite: Surface abrasion, and the use of release ply fabric, i.e. peel ply. Peel ply is the recommended process because it creates a more uniform surface preparation than hand or machine abrasion.

Henkel’s peel ply makes processes more efficient by minimizing surface preparation. LOCTITE^® peel ply provides part longevity and reduces maintenance costs. It ensures a consistent bonding surface with a high-quality bond for today's advanced composite materials.

Surface and Lightning Strike Protection for Aircraft

Lighting strike protection for aircraft requires specialized materials that are applied to the surface of an aircraft. Surfacing films are designed to improve the surface quality of honeycomb stiffened composite parts. They also provide a barrier for dissimilar materials, decrease surface preparation time, and provide protection of structural fibers. LOCTITE^® lighting strike protection materials are applicable for both composite and carbon fiber aircraft. Additionally, laminated films composed of a surfacing film and a conductive metal foil protect the composite structure of aircraft parts from damage caused by lightning strikes.

With our LOCTITE^® portfolio, you get the most advanced solutions. Economically, they offer up to 30 percent weight savings compared to existing surfacing films. LOCTITE^® surfacing films for aircraft also lower the composite part finishing costs. Technically, they provide durable, high-quality paintable surfaces and maximize product and shop flexibility.

To learn more about Henkel’s portfolio of aerospace structural adhesive solutions:

Laminate and Wet Lay-up Resins

For high temperatures, wet lay-up, composite construction, or repairs, such as those in aerospace applications, a low viscosity system is needed. This system needs to support both wet lamination processes and out-of-autoclave curing. Henkel offers the perfect solution for the surface preparation of carbon laminates. Our LOCTITE^® low viscosity wet lay-up solutions cure very fast under heat and provide an optimal adhering surface for subsequent painting and coating.

Liquid Shims

Whenever gaps and differences between two composite parts occur, solid and liquid shims are used to eliminate them. Liquid shims are typically used to fill gaps less than 3 millimeters or for wide area fits. They are spread on one side of the rib, squeezed together, and bolted. This forces any excess shim material to be squeezed out leaving just the necessary amount of shim to bridge any gaps occurring in the manufacturing process.

LOCTITE^® liquid shims are epoxy-based materials that provide not only high compressive strength, but also a balance between open assembly time and strength. 

Fire Retardants

For aircrafts, fire breakout is one of the most dangerous incidents. By using the right fire retardant that is Fire, Smoke, and Toxicity (FST) resistant on honeycomb panels for edge close out, insert bonding, or potting, aircraft OEM and MRO manufacturers can better protect their aircraft.

Henkel has developed special flame-retardant products for aircraft interior applications. They are toughened paste adhesive with superior dispense rate and high compressive strength potting compound. LOCTITE^® flame retardants are halogens, antimony, and phenol-free.