EVALUATION OF EPOXYLITE 810 AS A BONDING AGENT FOR THE HEAT SENSOR ON PLEXIGLAS 55.

The F-4B Aircraft has been experiencing many heat sensor-to-canopy side panel bond failures. At the present time, PS 18 cement is the bonding medium but due to these bonding failures, a new bonding material Epoxylite 810 was to be tested under simulated flight conditions. A 6.0 x 6.0 x 0.312-in. Plexiglas No. 55 test panel was employed. Two simulated heat sensors were bonded and encased, one each in Epoxylite 810 and PS 18 cement. Additionally, identical strips of PS 18 cement and Silastic 140 adhesive, without heat sensors, were placed on the panel. The panel was exposed to 350F air for 20 minutes. The velocity of the air stream was 170 ft per sec. During this test both of the PS 18 cement test strips with and without the heat sensor became soft and began to flow however, they exhibited no adhesive failures. The Epoxylite 810 and Silastic 140 adhesives exhibited no deleterious effects as a result of the 20-minute exposure. It can be concluded from these results that the Epoxylite 810 and Silastic 140 adhesives are superior to the PS 18 cement for the bonding of heat sensors to Plexiglas No. 55, when tested under simulated equilibrium flight conditions. Author