Adhesive, which bonds a metal liner to a filament wound composite structure used for cryogenic pressure vessels, prevents the metal liner from buckling under depressurization. The adhesive consists of adducts of urethane and epoxy resins

Doyle, H. M.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

March 1969	 Brief 69-10074 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
NASA Tech Briefs are issued to summarize specific innovations derived from the U.S. space program, 
to encourage their commercial application. Copies are available to the public at 15 cents each 
from the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Virginia 22151. 
Adhesive for Cryogenic Temperature Applications 
Filament-wound fiber glass composite structures 
have been recognized for their potential utility for 
cryogenic pressure vessels because of their high 
strength-to-weight ratios. However, many problems 
have arisen in the evaluation and application of this 
potential. One of the main problems has been the con-
tainment of a cryogenic fluid in the vessel during de-
sired pressurization cycles as the fiber glass composite 
structures become permeable after stress-induced 
straining. One solution is the use of a nonpermeable 
thin metal liner. 
The adhesive which bonds the metal liner to the 
filament-wound composite structure must perform 
one function, that is, to prevent the metal liner from 
buckling during depressurization. It must strain with 
the composite without losing adhesion to either sur-
face or failing internally. The properties which an 
adhesive must exhibit for successful use in this appli-
cation must include the following: 
I. Sufficient shear and tensile strength to withstand 
the high axial and hoop stress conditions imposed 
on the composite by pressure cycling operations at 
cryogenic temperatures.	 - - - 
2. Sufficient rigidity, as indicated by the modulus and 
ultimate elongation of the adhesive, to restrain the 
liner from buckling during the depressurization 
cycle at ambient temperatures. 
3. Sufficient toughness, as indicated by the peel 
strength of the adhesive, to permit the adhesive to 
resist further failure after it begins. An adhesive 
with high peel strength can absorb and distribute 
large stress concentrations evenly over a wide area. 
4. A coefficient of contraction compatible with both 
the fiber glass composite and the metal liner to the 
extent that adhesion can be maintained between 
each of these components when the composite
structure is strained during the depressurization 
operation. 
An adhesive for cryogenic temperature application 
has been developed which consists of adducts of ure-
thane and epoxy resins. The adduct exhibits the best 
properties of each of the individual resins, having the 
higher strength and the modulus of the epoxy and the 
strain capabilities and peel resistance of the urethanes. 
The adduct material does not show the characteristic 
brittleness of epoxies nor the soft rubber appearance 
of polyurethanes. 
The urethane-epoxy adducts are produced by blend-
ing a commercially available epoxy resin based on the 
diglycidylether of bisphenyl A with a toluene diisocy-
anate prepolymer and curing this mixture with meth-
ylene-bis-orthochloroaniline. Two formulations were 
prepared. Relatively large filament wound pressure 
vessels with very thin (foil) aluminum liners bonded 
with both formulations were fabricated and tested. 
All of these vessels were subjected to 2% strain in a 1:1 
biaxial strain field without primary liner failure at 
room temperature and in liquid hydrogen: 	 - 
Notes: 
1. Documentation is available from: 
Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific 
and Technical Information 
Springfield, Virginia 2215.1 
Price $3.00 
Reference: TSP69- 10074 
2. Technical questions concerning this innovation 
may be directed to: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Lewis Research Center 
21000 Brookpark Road 
Cleveland, Ohio 44135 
Reference: B69-10074
(continued overleat) 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
will be free from privately owned rights.
	 -
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19690000074 2020-03-16T17:53:14+00:00Z
Patent status: 
No patent action is contemplated by NASA. 
Source: H. M. Doyle 
of McDonnell Douglas Corporation 
under contract to 
Lewis Research Center 
(LEW- 10264)
. 
. 
Brief 69-10074	 Category 03


Adhesive for cryogenic temperature applications

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