ABSTRACT
Spin-off from the special case to a myriad of different applications is quite simple to accomplish. For almost any adhesive or sealant sandwiched between almost any metal, a similar solution may be possible. Tungsten powder was selected as an additive to the adhesive due to its very high Z of 74. Indeed, the addition of Tungsten filler to the adhesive did make the adhesive more radiodense than the aluminum to x-rays. Future applications of the radiopaque adhesive/sealant technology could include metal-bonded structures for industrial applications, marine applications, military applications, automotive applications, rail applications and space applications. The application was a new, lighter weight, microwave channeling device for an earth-orbiting satellite. Hundreds of different adhesives were evaluated, but failed to meet the requirements. The breakthrough came when we realized that the adhesive needed to be composed mainly of the same material as the composite units, namely of cured cyanate ester plastic.
