Thermoplastic Carbon Nanotube Composites Prevent High Voltage “Burn In” RTP Company RTP Company Corporate Headquarters • 580 East Front Street • Winona, Minnesota 55987 USA website: www.rtpcompany.com • email:
[email protected] • Wiman Corporation • +1 320-259-2554 TELEPHONE: U.S.A. SOUTH AMERICA MEXICO EUROPE SINGAPORE CHINA +1 507-454-6900 +55 11 4193-8772 +52 81 8134-0403 +33 380-253-000 +65 6863-6580 +86 512-6283-8383 Thermoplastic Carbon Nanotube Composites Prevent High Voltage “Burn In” Ned Bryant, Sr. Product Development Engineer RTP Company, 580 E. Front St., Winona, Minnesota, USA Telephone: +1 (507) 454-6900, Internet: www.rtpcompany.com Abstract – During a lightning strike event, lightning strike isolators are critical parts of aircraft fuel- line safety. Current technology is based on carbon fiber and carbon black filled epoxies. Recent development efforts have achieved burn-in resistant, injection moldable thermoplastics using carbon nanotube additives, capable of maintaining ESD characteristics after multiple ~10 kV DC strikes. I.) INTRODUCTION several exposures the part is no longer static dissipative, but on the contrary, rather conductive. The Boeing Company estimates that on average, This resistance to burn-in is a critical element that each airplane in service is struck by lightning twice cannot be compromised if safety of the aircraft is to per year. The energy from these strikes must be be maintained. It is also important to note that these controlled very carefully in order to avoid system isolators are deep in the structure of the aircraft wing damage. This is especially important in aircraft fuel and are therefore non-serviceable.