Co-Curable and Co-Cured UV/Visible Light-Resistant Peel Ply Application for Composite Material Assemblies

A co-cured composite material assembly precursor comprising:

• a co-cured composite material substrate;
• a co-cured UV/visible light-resistant layer, said co-cured UV/Visible light-resistant layer positioned adjacent the first composite material substrate, said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant layer comprising a first co-curable UV/visible light-resistant resin, said co-cured UV/visible light-resistant layer further comprising at least one of fiberglass fibers, carbon fibers, polyester fibers, aramid fibers, boron fibers, quartz, and
• combinations thereof;
• a co-cured peel ply fiber-and-resin-containing layer positioned adjacent the co-cured UV/visible light-resistant layer, said co-cured peel ply fiber and resin-containing layer comprising at least one of fiberglass fibers, carbon fibers, polyester fibers, aramid fibers, boron fibers, and combinations thereof, said co-cured peel ply fiber-and-resin-containing layer further comprising a second co-cured UV/visible light-resistant resin compatible with the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant layer;
• wherein the co-cured UV/visible light-resistant layer has a UV/visible light transmittance value ranging from about 0% to about 20% UV/visible light transmittance for UV/visible light wavelengths ranging from about 180 mm to about 800 nm when the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant layer comprises an average thickness ranging from about 2 mils to about 6 mils;
• and
• wherein the co-cured composite material substrate is co-cured with the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant layer and is further co-curable with the co-curable peel ply fiber-and-resin-containing layer at a temperature ranging from about 250° F. to about 410° F.

A method for making a co-cured composite material assembly, the method comprising:

• providing a first co-curable composite material substrate;
• applying a co-curable UV/visible light-resistant layer onto the first composite material substrate, said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant layer comprising a first co-curable UV/visible light-resistant resin, said co-curable UV/visible light-resistant layer further comprising a at least one of fiberglass fibers, carbon fibers, polyester fibers, aramid fibers, boron fibers, quartz, and combinations thereof,
• applying a co-curable peel ply fiber-and-resin-containing layer positioned adjacent the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant layer to form a co-curable composite material assembly first precursor, said co-curable peel ply fiber-and-resin-containing layer further comprising a second co-curable UV/visible light-resistant resin compatible with the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant layer, said co-curable peel ply fiber-and-resin-containing layer further comprising a peel ply backing layer covering the co-curable peel ply fiber-and-resin-containing layer;
• and
• co-curing the co-curable composite material substrate with the co-curable UV/visible light-resistant layer and the co-curable peel ply fiber-and-resin-containing layer to form a co-cured composite material assembly first precursor.