Ultraviolet Light Surface Treatment as an Environmentally Benign Process for Production, Maintenance and Repair of Military Composite Structures

Abstract

The principal objective of this work is to develop a low-cost, high-speed, environmentally benign, dry surface treatment method for production, and repair of military composite structures using ultraviolet (UV) light in ambient air. The potential advantage of this method is that it would eliminate volatile organic wastes (VOCs), reduce or eliminate the use of solutions and detergents, and provide a robust surface that would enhance or eliminate the use of solutions and detergents, and provide a robust surface that would enhance the wetting and spreading of paints, coatings and adhesives on polymeric and inorganic surfaces treated by this method. A manufacturing base for UV production equipment I sin place although not for this application. There is a need for development of an environmentally friendly, cost effective as well as a robust surface treatment method that can clean a surface as well as create a beneficial chemistry for painting and produce optimum adhesive bonding of polymers, polymer composites and metal surfaces. With this in mind, three main technical objectives were sought in the work. The first objective was to determine the usefulness of UV and UV/O(3) to surface treatments to clean and chemically modify the surface of typical PMCs used in DOD systems. The second objective was to determine the effectiveness of this surface preparation for production and/or repair of adhesively bonded, painted and/or coated polymer matrix composite structures. Finally, a determination of the environmental and performance benefits of this method as a new environmentally benign processing method for the production and/or re air of adhesively SERDP, SERDP collection, robust surface, polymeric surface, inorganic surface, volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 28, 2002
Accession Number
ADA409097

Entities

People

  • Lawrence T. Drzal

Organizations

  • Michigan State University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Adhesive Bonding
  • Adhesives
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Composite Materials
  • Composite Structures
  • Epoxy Composites
  • Laminates
  • Manufacturing
  • Materials
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Science
  • Materials Testing
  • Polymer Matrix Composites
  • Production
  • Surface Chemistry
  • Surface Finishing

Readers

  • Environmental Engineering.
  • Reinforced Composite Materials