Method for promoting electrical conduction between metallic components and composite materials
A method for promoting electrical conduction between metallic components and composite materials. A composite body is coated with an adhering layer comprising a conductive material, and a metallic component is electrically connected to the conductive material of the adhering layer, when the metallic component is coupled to the composite body. The adhering layer is deposited inside a hole in the composite body, and/or along an edge of the hole, and/or on at least a portion of a surface of the composite body. The composite body is a structure of an aircraft or other vehicle comprised of composite materials formed from carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs), the metallic component is a fastener or is positioned at an interface between the fastener and the composite body, and the electrical connection is made as part of a lightning protection system, an electromagnetic effects (EME) management system, or grounding system.
1. A method for enhancing electrical conduction, comprising:
coating a composite body with an adhering layer comprising a conductive material, wherein a metallic component is electrically connected to the conductive material of the adhering layer, when the metallic component is coupled to the composite body.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composite body is a structure of an aircraft or other vehicle comprised of composite materials formed from carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs), the metallic component is a fastener, and the metallic component electrically connected to the conductive material of the adhering layer forms part of a lightning protection system, an electromagnetic effects (EME) management system, or grounding system.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metallic component comprises a sleeve, washer or other element positioned at an interface between a fastener and the composite body.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adhering layer comprises at least one of an electrically conductive ink or an electrically conductive paint.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the electrically conductive ink or paint is comprised of a plurality of particles including at least one of copper or silver in a formulation including low temperature sintering agents.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the electrically conductive ink or paint includes titanium, the titanium promotes adhesion to carbon fibers of the composite body by converting a thin surface layer of the carbon fibers to titanium carbide (TiC), and the particles form a thicker adherent layer on top of the TiC.
7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the electrically conductive ink or paint is applied on the composite body using at least one of screen-printing, ink-jet printing, intaglio, dry film transfer, metallization, or plating.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising curing the adhering layer coating the composite body at a temperature that does not adversely affect the composite body.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the temperature is between about 100° C. and about 200° C.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein coating step further comprises depositing the adhering layer inside a hole in the composite body and the curing step further comprises performing in-situ curing of the adhering layer deposited inside the hole.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the in-situ curing of the adhering layer is performed by at least one of baking, flash radiant heating, or laser heating.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the in-situ curing of the adhering layer is performed by electrical inductive heating when the metallic component is inserted into the hole.
13. An apparatus for enhancing electrical conduction, comprising:
a composite body coated with an adhering layer comprising a conductive material, wherein a metallic component is electrically connected to the conductive material of the adhering layer, when the metallic component is coupled to the composite body.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the composite body is a structure of an aircraft or other vehicle comprised of composite materials formed from carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs), the metallic component is a fastener, and the metallic component electrically connected to the conductive material of the adhering layer forms part of a lightning protection system, an electromagnetic effects (EME) management system, or grounding system.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the metallic component is positioned at an interface between a fastener and the composite body.
16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the adhering layer comprises an electrically conductive ink or paint.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the electrically conductive ink or paint is comprised of a plurality of particles including copper or silver in a formulation including low temperature sintering agents.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the electrically conductive ink or paint includes titanium, the titanium promotes adhesion to carbon fibers of the composite body by converting a thin surface layer of the carbon fibers to titanium carbide (TiC), and the particles form a thicker adherent layer on top of the TiC.
19. An aircraft with enhanced electrical conduction, comprising:
a composite body coated with an adhering layer comprising a conductive material; and
a metallic component coupled to the composite body, wherein the metallic component is electrically connected to the conductive material of the adhering layer.
20. The aircraft of claim 19 , wherein the composite body is a structure of the aircraft comprised of composite materials formed from carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs), the metallic component is a fastener or is positioned at an interface between the fastener and the composite body, and the metallic component electrically connected to the conductive material of the layer forms part of a lightning protection system, an electromagnetic effects (EME) management system, or grounding system.