STRUCTURE MADE OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL PROTECTED AGAINST THE EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING

• US 20120106022A1
• Filed: 01/07/2010
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV
• Original Assignee: European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV
• Inventors: Aliaga, Daniel, Cavaliere, Frederick
• Application Number:
  US13/143,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20120106022A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/218
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/02 Lightning protectors; Static dischargers in general H01T

Abstract

A part (1) includes a structural portion made of an electrically insulating or low-conductive composite material (2) and includes, on a surface (11) of the structural portion likely to be subjected to lightning impacts (10), a metallization layer (30) covered with an electrically insulating protection paint (4). The metallization layer includes a layer of a first electrically conductive metal material (31), referred to as HVT material, and includes at least one second electrically conductive metal material (32), referred to as LVT material, having a vaporization temperature Θl substantially lower than the vaporization temperature Θh of the first electrically conductive HVT metal material. A lightning impact results in the vaporization of the LVT material and the removal of the paint on a surface larger than that in which the HVT material is vaporized, and therefore exposes or lifts a portion of the metallization around the lightning impact point, thereby promoting the anchoring of the lightning arc base.

Claims

1. A component (1) comprising a structural part made of a composite (2) comprising organic or inorganic fibers held in a hard organic matrix, and comprising, on a surface (11) of said structural part, at least on a side of said component liable to be struck by lightning (10), a metallization layer (30) comprising a layer of a first electrically conductive metallic material (31), said metallization layer being covered with an electrically insulating protective paint (4), characterized in that the metallization layer (30) comprises at least a second electrically conductive metallic material (32), called LVT material, the vaporization temperature Θ

l of which is below the vaporization temperature Θ

h of the first electrically conductive metallic material (31), called HVT material.

2. The component as claimed in claim 1, in which the vaporization temperature Θ

l is below 70% of the vaporization temperature Θ

h.

3. The component as claimed in claim 2, in which the vaporization temperature Θ

l is below 50% of the vaporization temperature Θ

h.

4. The component as claimed in claim 3, in which the vaporization temperature Θ

l is below 1250 kelvin and the vaporization temperature Θ

h is above 2500 kelvin.

5. The component as claimed in claim 4, in which the HVT material (31) is mainly bronze, copper or aluminum.

6. The component as claimed in claim 5, in which the HVT material (31) is structured in the form of a network of electrically conductive, metallic wires or of an expanded metal or of a metallic foil.

7. The component as claimed in claim 6, in which the LVT material (32) is mainly zinc.

8. The component as claimed in claim 7, in which the LVT material (32) is located on all or some of one surface of the HVT material (31).

9. The component as claimed in claim 8, in which the LVT material (32) is located essentially on all or some of one surface of the HVT material (31) between the HVT material and the protective coat of paint (4).

10. The component as claimed in claim 8, in which the LVT material (32) is located essentially on all or some of one surface of the HVT material (31) between the composite (2) and the HVT material (31).

11. The component as claimed in claim 8, in which the LVT material (32) is located on the one hand between the HVT material (31) and the protective paint (4) and on the other hand between the HVT material (31) and the composite (2).

12. The component as claimed in claim 1, in which the average area density of the LVT material (32) is locally between 10% and 30% of the average local area density of the metallization (30).

13. The component as claimed in claim 12, in which the mass per unit area of the metallization layer (30) lies between 50 and 350 g/m².

14. An aircraft structure comprising one or more components (1), as claimed in claim 1, assembled with one another and/or with structures of said aircraft.