Aircraft liquid containment cell including self-sealing structure

An aircraft comprising:

• a fuselage;
• a liquid containment cell configured to store a liquid, the liquid containment cell comprising:
• an inner layer configured to contact the liquid;
• an outer layer;
• and
• a self-sealing structure disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer, the self-sealing structure comprising a plurality of sealing liner layers and further comprising a plurality of slip layers, wherein each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers comprises a liquid resistant material that is configured to be non-reactive with the liquid;
• wherein each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers is separated from an immediately next sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers by at least one slip layer of the plurality of slip layers;
• and
• wherein each slip layer of the plurality of slip layers comprises a polyethylene (PE) material, wherein each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers comprises an elastomer material, wherein each slip layer of the plurality of slip layers is configured to permit at least one sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers to slide or slip in relation to another sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers and move at least partially into a hole created by a projectile by being pulled into the hole by the projectile to plug the hole.

A method for sealing a liquid containment cell, the method comprising:

• providing a liquid containment cell, the liquid containment cell comprising a multilayer self-sealing structure around an inner layer of the liquid containment cell, the multilayer self-sealing structure comprising a plurality of sealing liner layers and further comprising a plurality of slip layers, wherein each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers is separated from an immediately next sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers by at least one slip layer of the plurality of slip layers, wherein each slip layer of the plurality of slip layers comprises a polyethylene (PE) material, and wherein each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers is formed from a material comprising an elastomer, and wherein each sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers comprises a liquid resistant material that is configured to be non-reactive with the liquid;
• receiving a projectile into at least the multilayer self-sealing structure, the projectile forming a hole through the plurality of sealing liner layers and through the inner layer;
• and
• sealing the hole by sliding at least one sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers, with respect to the inner layer and with respect to another sealing liner layer of the plurality of sealing liner layers, the sliding causing the at least one sealing liner layers to fill at least a portion of the hole by being pulled into the hole by the projectile to plug the hole.