Uncrosslinked Adhesive Tape for Epoxy Composite Temporary Fixation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for temporarily fixing fiber structures during epoxy composite production, such as edge bonding or using spray adhesives, are complex, prone to errors, and introduce foreign materials that degrade the performance of the final composite, especially in demanding industries like aerospace and wind turbine rotor blade production.
Innovation Solution
Employing an uncrosslinked pressure-sensitive adhesive tape that dissolves in the final epoxy resin, allowing for easy and precise temporary fixation without significant impact on the interlaminar shear strength of the final composite, using a hardener-free or latent hardener epoxy adhesive system to ensure minimal disruption to the composite's properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spray adhesives are used for temporary fixing, then the fiber structures can be held in position, but foreign materials are introduced that reduce the composite's performance
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive is extracted from external spray applications and integrated directly into the fiber structure as prepregs, eliminating the need for separate adhesive application and reducing foreign material introduction
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive and fiber structures are merged into a single integrated component (prepreg), where the adhesive is impregnated into the fiber mat before placement, ensuring uniform distribution and eliminating separate adhesive layers
2Reliability
If edge gluing is used for temporary fixing, then the fiber structures can be secured, but the process becomes complex and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive application is segmented into pre-impregnated zones within the fiber mat itself, allowing multiple bonding areas to be prepared simultaneously in a single manufacturing step rather than requiring sequential edge-by-edge application
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive is applied in advance during prepreg manufacturing, creating pre-cut, pre-adhesived sections that can be directly placed and bonded without on-site adhesive application, eliminating complex positioning and application steps
3Reliability
If spray adhesives are used for temporary fixing, then the fiber structures can be positioned, but the application rate depends on the user and uniformity cannot be guaranteed
Solution Approach 1:
The prepreg structure is self-adhesive through the impregnated adhesive, eliminating the need for user-controlled spray application and ensuring consistent adhesive distribution through controlled manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive application transitions from user-controlled variable spray rates to factory-controlled precise impregnation parameters, ensuring uniform adhesive distribution through controlled resin flow and saturation during prepreg manufacturing
4Reliability
If spray adhesives containing solvents are used, then the fiber structures can be fixed, but harmful substances must evaporate before bonding
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive system transitions from solvent-based to solvent-free or water-based formulations, eliminating the need for evaporation time and allowing immediate bonding after placement
Solution Approach 2:
Harmful solvent components are extracted from the adhesive formulation, replacing them with environmentally benign alternatives that do not require evaporation, thereby eliminating the time delay before bonding
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method provides a simple, error-resistant, and solvent-free temporary fixation that maintains the high performance of the final composite, with interlaminar shear strength deviations of less than 8%, ensuring design flexibility and avoiding performance losses.
Implementation Method 1
the temporary fixing adhesive of an adhesive tape dissolves in the final fixing adhesive
Implementation Method 2
an uncrosslinked pressure-sensitive adhesive tape that dissolves in the final epoxy resin
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to an adhesive strip, containing a temporary fixing adhesive for a first temporary fixing of two substrates to one another as a preliminary stage to a second final fixing of the two substrates, wherein the second final fixing takes place by means of a final fixing adhesive and said final fixing adhesive assimilates the temporary fixing adhesive during the second final fixing, wherein the temporary fixing adhesive is a non-crosslinked bonding adhesive and dissolves in the final fixing adhesive during the second final fixing, making it possible to fix fibrous structures temporarily in the epoxy composite production, without negatively influencing the performance of the cured components.