ISSN 1995-4212, Polymer Science, Series D. Glues and Sealing Materials, 2009, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 155156.

Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2009.

Original Russian Text V.V. Kulikov, 2009, published in Klei. Germetiki. Tekhnologii, 2009, No. 1, pp. 3233.

Adhesive Joints Used in IL-Series Aircrafts

V. V. Kulikov
Open Joint-Stock Company Ilyushin Aviation Complex, Leningradskii pr. 45G, Moscow, 125190 Russia
e-mail: korhimk@polymer.chph.ras.ru
Received October 12, 2008

AbstractThe technological and strength characteristics of adhesives used in honeycomb and layer-built
structures, as well as the performances of adhesives for structural applications, are given. All adhesives are used
in the structures of aircrafts of Il series. The fields of adhesives application in the structure of aircrafts of Il series
are described.
DOI: 10.1134/S1995421209030046

The problem of show to decrease the aircraft

weight and maintain its performance characteristics,
most of all the required strength, reliability, and lifetime, are very topical for the aircraft industry. It is
possible to solve this problem only by improving the
properties of aviation materials and finding the new
ways of its application. It is especially effective to use
the honeycomb structure and construction adhesives
in gluing processes in the manufacture and assembly
of aviation components.
The widespread use of adhesive has become possible in the manufacture of critical units of aircrafts
because new adhesive materials that meet specific
requirements have been developed. These specific
requirements are determined by structural peculiarities and aggregate intention, and they are as follows:
manufacturability during gluing and strength of
the adhesive joints in any component of the aircraft,
regardless of whether it is manufactured in pilot-scale
production or in full-scale production;
it is not necessary to take special measures to
secure the operational reliability of aggregates manufactured with adhesive application.
Initially, phenolicelastomer adhesives were used
in the honeycomb structures. These adhesives contain
many volatile materials; therefore, it was necessary to
perforate the honeycomb. However, the experience of
its usage shows that this structure promotes the penetration of moisture all over the aggregate. Phenolic
elastomer adhesives were replaced by high-strength
epoxy film-forming adhesives with volatile material
contents of 23%. This allows one to protect a structure from wetting without perforating the honeycomb.
Honeycomb structures were widely used for the
first time in IL-76 aircraft, where its volume was about
350 m2 (lift and empennage devices). Nowadays, in
IL-series aircrafts, adhesives are used in honeycomb,
decorative, and layer-built power structures (two and
three layers). In the structures of IL-86 aircraft,

VK-51A adhesive reinforced with nonwoven fabric is

used. VK-51A is an epoxy film-forming adhesive used
not only in nonperforated honeycombs, but also when
it is necessary to join metals and composite polymeric
materials. VK-51A is an epoxy film-forming adhesive
used when it is necessary to glue honeycomb structures, including sound-absorbing structures, structures with nonperforated filler, and skins made of aluminum and composite materials. VKV-3 epoxy filmforming foaming adhesive is used when it is necessary
to glue nonperforated and perforated honeycombs or
honeycombs and frame elements made of metals or
nonmetallic materials. The adhesive foaming coefficient is 1.753.5. The properties of epoxy film-forming adhesives are given in Table 1.
When it is necessary to glue either metals or metals
and nonmetallic materials or to lock threaded joints,
VK-9 epoxy adhesive paste is used. VK-11 polyurethane adhesives are used, if in aircraft of IL series, it
is necessary to either glue decorative elements to
metallic surfaces or to prime or paint surfaces. In
structures made of aluminum and titanium alloys,
steels and composite materials, or adhesive-riveted
and adhesive joints, VK-27 epoxyelastomer adhesive
is used. VKV-27 epoxyelastomer adhesive is used
when it is necessary to glue the honeycomb to the
frame and to mount the profile with sting. The properties of these adhesives are presented in Table 2.
With the use of honeycomb and layer-built structures in IL-series aircrafts, it becomes possible to
decrease the labor intensiveness of aggregate manufacturing by 1.52 times, as well as to conserve metals
(1530%) in comparison with chemically machined
panels. During aircraft operation, it is found that, if
glued layer-built (duplicated) skins are used in places
where they are mounted to the aircraft frame in the
form of scalloped plates, the fatigue resistance
increases by 2025 times in comparison with chemically machined skins.

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KULIKOV

Table 1. Peculiarities of glue joints of honeycomb and layer-built structures implemented by film-forming adhesives
Adhesive
consumption
per 1 m2, g

Adhesive grade, TC
(technical conditions)

Shear strength, MPa, no less

Operational
Gluing
than, under the temperature, C Pull strength, temperature,
temperature, C
MPa
C
20
80

VK-51
TC (technical conditions)
1-596-21285
VK-51A
TC (technical conditions)
1-596-21285

265352

125 5

36

28

290350

125 5

28

20

VK-36
TC (technical conditions)
1-596-38996
VKV-3
TC (technical conditions)
1-596-6486

300

175 5

35

900

125 5

5.5
(under 80C)

60+80

25
2.5
60+150
(under 150C) (under 150C)
3.5

Table 2. Properties of glue joints used in structures of IL-series aircrafts

Adhesive grade,
TC (technical
conditions)

Adhesive
Gluing
consumption temperature,
per 1 m2, kg
C

VK-11
PI 1.2.40788

150200

1823

VK-45
PI 1.2.39088

100130

1823

VK-27
PI 1.2.14580

125150

room temperature (72 h) or

3540 (3 h),
or 60 (1 h)

800

2130 (72 h)
or 60 (3 h)
1823

VK-27
PI 1.2.26484
VK-9
PI 1.2A.52699

160

Shear strength, MPa, no less

Pull
Operational
than, under the temperature, Nonuniform pull
strength, temperature,
C
strength, kN/m
MPa
C
20
80
0.61.1
(vinylleather
painted metal)
1.31.6 (for polyvinylchloride
film with D16AT
with antioxidation chromium
coating)
22.5

13.7

In the structure of rubbermetallic components, as well

as when it is necessary to glue the interior components of

60+60

8.29.5

5.4

5.0

60+80
(under
180250C
within
30 min)
60+80

2.4

60+125

aircrafts of the IL series, 88NP, KR-5-18, and Leiconut

rubber adhesives are used.

POLYMER SCIENCE

Series D

Vol. 2

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2009