Laminated hybrid metallized polymer films, system, and method for erosion protection of composite structures

A system for erosion protection of an aircraft composite structure, the system comprising:

• a substrate surface of the aircraft composite structure, the substrate surface having one or more cut edges, and the aircraft composite structure comprising one of, a wing panel, a barrel section of a fuselage, a passenger door, an access door, a window surround, a horizontal stabilizer, or a vertical stabilizer;
• an edge seal layer directly applied over and to the substrate surface;
• a primer layer directly applied over and to the edge seal layer;
• and
• a laminated hybrid metallized polymer film directly applied over and to the primer layer, the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film being in a flexible form comprising one of, a tape, an applique, a sheet, or an overlay, the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film comprising:
• a metal foil layer comprising one of, a titanium foil layer, a titanium alloy foil layer, a nickel foil layer, a nickel alloy foil layer, a stainless steel foil layer, or a stainless steel alloy foil layer, and the metal foil layer having a configuration comprising one of, a slotted metal foil, a perforated metal foil, an expanded metal foil, or a mesh metal foil;
• a laminating adhesive layer directly underlying the metal foil layer, the laminating adhesive layer comprising one of, a urethane adhesive layer including a polyurethane adhesive layer, an epoxy adhesive layer, a polysiloxane adhesive layer, a silicone adhesive layer, or an acrylic adhesive layer, wherein the laminating adhesive layer has a thickness in a range of from 0.0001 inch to 0.0020 inch;
• a polymer film layer directly underlying the laminating adhesive layer, the polymer film layer laminated to the metal foil layer with the laminating adhesive layer directly coupled between the metal foil layer and the polymer film layer;
• and
• an adhesive layer directly underlying the polymer film layer, the adhesive layer directly adhering the polymer film layer to the primer layer, wherein the adhesive layer has a thickness in a range of from 0.005 inch to 0.010 inch, and further wherein the adhesive layer and the laminating adhesive layer have a total thickness in a range of from 0.0051 inch to 0.012 inch,
• wherein the flexible form of the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film has improved handleability and installation, the installation of the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film being facilitated by a formability of the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film, and further wherein, when the aircraft composite structure is exposed to an airstream, the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film applied over and to the aircraft composite structure provides erosion protection of the aircraft composite structure from the airstream, and prevents or minimizes delamination of the one or more cut edges of the aircraft composite structure.

A method for providing erosion protection of an aircraft composite structure, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a laminated hybrid metallized polymer film in a flexible form comprising one of, a tape, an applique, a sheet, or an overlay, the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film comprising:
• a metal foil layer being a topmost layer of the laminated hybrid metallized polymer, the metal foil layer comprising one of, a titanium foil layer, a titanium alloy foil layer, a nickel foil layer, a nickel alloy foil layer, a stainless steel foil layer, or a stainless steel alloy foil layer, and the metal foil layer having a configuration comprising one of, a slotted metal foil, a perforated metal foil, an expanded metal foil, or a mesh metal foil;
• a laminating adhesive layer directly underlying the metal foil layer, the laminating adhesive layer comprising one of, a urethane adhesive layer including a polyurethane adhesive layer, an epoxy adhesive layer, a polysiloxane adhesive layer, a silicone adhesive layer, or an acrylic adhesive layer, wherein the laminating adhesive layer has a thickness in a range of from 0.0001 inch to 0.0020 inch;
• a polymer film layer directly underlying the laminating adhesive layer, the polymer film layer laminated to the metal foil layer with the laminating adhesive layer directly coupled between the metal foil layer and the polymer film layer;
• and
• an adhesive layer directly underlying the polymer film layer, wherein the adhesive layer has a thickness in a range of from 0.005 inch to 0.010 inch, and further wherein the adhesive layer and the laminating adhesive layer have a total thickness in a range of from 0.0051 inch to 0.012 inch,
• preparing a substrate surface having one or more cut edges of the aircraft composite structure, to obtain a prepared substrate surface, the aircraft composite structure comprising one of, a wing panel, a barrel section of a fuselage, a passenger door, an access door, a window surround, a horizontal stabilizer, or a vertical stabilizer;
• and
• applying the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film directly over and to the prepared substrate surface of the aircraft composite structure, the adhesive layer directly adhering the polymer film layer to the prepared substrate surface,
• wherein the flexible form of the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film has improved handleability and installation, the installation of the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film being facilitated by a formability of the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film, and further wherein, when the aircraft composite structure is exposed to one or more erosion conditions, the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film directly applied over and to the prepared substrate surface provides erosion protection to the aircraft composite structure from the one or more erosion conditions, and prevents or minimizes delamination of the one or more cut edges of the aircraft composite structure.

A laminated hybrid metallized polymer film for erosion protection of an aircraft composite structure, the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film comprising:

• a metal foil layer being a topmost layer of the laminated hybrid metallized polymer, the metal foil layer comprising one of, a titanium foil layer, a titanium alloy foil layer, a nickel foil layer, a nickel alloy foil layer, a stainless steel foil layer, or a stainless steel alloy foil layer, and the metal foil layer being surface treated with a surface treatment process, and the metal foil layer having a configuration comprising one of, a slotted metal foil, a perforated metal foil, an expanded metal foil, or a mesh metal foil;
• a primer layer directly underlying the metal foil layer, the primer layer comprising a primer material comprising one of, a bond primer, a urethane compatible epoxy primer, an adhesive bond primer, a heat-curing adhesive bond primer, a corrosion inhibiting primer, or a chromate-based modified epoxy primer;
• a laminating adhesive layer directly underlying the primer layer, the laminating adhesive layer comprising one of, a urethane adhesive layer including a polyurethane adhesive layer, an epoxy adhesive layer, a polysiloxane adhesive layer, a silicone adhesive layer, or an acrylic adhesive layer, wherein the laminating adhesive layer has a thickness in a range of from 0.0001 inch to 0.0020 inch;
• a polymer film layer directly underlying the laminating adhesive layer, the laminating adhesive layer directly coupled between the primer layer and the polymer film layer, and the polymer film layer having a thickness in a range of 0.001 inch to 0.005 inch, and the polymer film layer comprising one of, a polyether ether ketone (PEEK) film layer, a polyester film layer, a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film layer, a polypropylene (PP) film layer, a polyethylene (PE) film layer, a polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) film layer, a polyamide (PA) film layer, a polyetherimide (PEI) film layer, a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film layer, a polycarbonate (PC) film layer, a nylon film layer, a polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) film layer, a polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) film layer, a polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) film layer, an ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE) film layer, or a polyvinylidene fluorine (PVDF) film layer;
• and
• an adhesive layer directly underlying the polymer film layer, the adhesive layer directly adhering the polymer film layer to a substrate surface having one or more cut edges of the aircraft composite structure, wherein the adhesive layer has a thickness in a range of from 0.005 inch to 0.010 inch, and further wherein the adhesive layer and the laminating adhesive layer have a total thickness in a range of from 0.0051 inch to 0.012 inch,
• wherein the metal foil layer, the primer layer, the laminating adhesive layer, the polymer film layer, and the adhesive layer form the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film, in a flexible form having improved handleability and installation, the installation of the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film being facilitated by a formability of the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film, the flexible form comprising one of, a tape, an applique, a sheet, or an overlay, for direct application over and to the substrate surface having the one or more cut edges of the aircraft composite structure, the aircraft composite structure comprising one of, a wing panel, a barrel section of a fuselage, a passenger door, an access door, a window surround, a horizontal stabilizer, or a vertical stabilizer, and the laminated hybrid metallized polymer film providing erosion protection of the aircraft composite structure from one or more erosion conditions, and preventing or minimizing delamination of the one or more cut edges of the aircraft composite structure.