Metal-filled, plateable structural adhesives for cyanate ester composites

A method for bonding cyanate ester composite articles to one another, said cyanate ester composite articles each having a surface, said method comprising:

• (a) preparing an adhesive according to steps comprising
• (i) providing a filler comprising powder or flakes of a metal and optionally, cyanate ester powder, said metal capable of being activated by an acid, said metal present in said adhesive in an amount (1) sufficient to provide said adhesive with a plating adhesion value of 5 as measured per ASTM D3359, as modified to a pressure sensitive test tape having an adhesion of 150 oz./in.-width, simultaneously with plating to a cyanate ester composite substrate and (2) not exceeding that at which said adhesive exhibits a distribution of peel strength with a mean less than two standard deviations above 1.5 lbs/in.-width as measured per ASTM D1876, and
• (ii) mixing said filler with a polymer mixture to form a thoroughly wetted mass, said polymer mixture comprising at least one polyepoxide resin and a substantially stoichiometric amount of the curing agent;
• (b) applying said adhesive to said surface of at least one of said cyanate ester composite articles to be bonded;
• (c) positioning said cyanate ester composite articles to form a mated assembly, said adhesive there between and in contact with said surface of each of said cyanate ester composite articles;
• and
• (d) allowing said adhesive to cure at a temperature less than 125° C., thereby bonding said cyanate ester composite articles to one another to form an assembly.