Loctite Benzoxazine Resins From Henkel
Always technically challenging, the aircraft industry places wide-ranging demands on materials used in the manufacture of its composites. The specialty solutions must be suitable for automated production, easy to handle and available on a global scale, with total cost in use including repair constituting further major considerations. Henkel offers the aerospace industry not just adhesives but also innovative composite technologies. The company’s commitment motto “Lighter-Thinner-Stronger” serves to underscore the capabilities of its benzoxazine infusion resins to facilitate lightweight construction technologies that meet the highest requirements.
With high performance and a weight saving of almost 30 percent compared to metal alternatives in comparable aerospace engineering applications, Loctite benzoxazine resins offer significant savings in aircraft fuel consumption. Thanks to their room temperature stability and low flammability, they also contribute to enhanced health and safety in the aerospace industry. The improved performance characteristics of benzoxazine solutions lead to lower material consumption and reduce the hazards of waste products. As a further advantage, Loctite benzoxazine resins have lower shrinkage upon cure, reducing the internal stresses that can affect durability and adhesive bonding.
Improvements along the value chain
The composite technologies available from Henkel offer efficient and sustainable processes along the entire value chain, enabling a reduction in the aircraft manufacturing cost. From the beginning of the production process, in the areas of design and performance engineering, the infusion resins are able to meet a wide range of requirements, reducing complexity yet offering greater flexibility in the areas of aerodynamics, efficiency, comfort and convenience. The benefits of the Loctite range of benzoxazine products compared to other technologies are also apparent in the associated storage and handling processes. They can be stored and shipped at a room temperature, and hence they do not require refrigeration, which can mean a substantial reduction in energy consumption. Benzoxazine resin composites also offer benefits in durability, with longer service lifetimes cutting in service costs.
Advantages in association with injection processes
The possibility of also using benzoxazine products in injection processes such as vacuum resin transfer molding (VARTM) brings further major benefits. The resins offer a wide processing temperature range for ease of flow, leading to improvements in molding efficiency and end component quality. With their ease of use and low reactivity, they also help prevent waste and reduce the risk of uncontrolled reactions. Henkel serves the aerospace industry with a wide-ranging product portfolio that includes the benzoxazine resins Loctite BZ 9110, Loctite BZ 9120 and Loctite BZ 9130. These offer extensive suitability for a broad spectrum of applications and low flammability compared to epoxy resins, making them a preferred choice for many component types.