3M Sealants

A sealant is a type of material, often in the form of a liquid, paste, or compound, that is used to seal gaps, joints, or surfaces to prevent the passage of air, water, dust, contaminants, or other substances. In chemical terms, they are flexible, polymeric materials that provide environmental isolation. They contain fuels, exclude moisture and maintain pressure between two surfaces. Sealants are widely used in various applications to create airtight, watertight, or dustproof seals. Used on aircraft since the 1940s, sealants are inherently resistant to fuel, with excellent resistance to common chemicals and petroleum products in the aerospace industry, as well as UV degradation.

3M's range are a low density sealant solution, are REACH approved, and many carry AMS specifications. They are compatible with PPG Semco equipment, and offer a fast turnaround with their lower tack free and cure time. 3M's sealant range would be mostly applied in integral fuel tanks, fuselage, aerodynamic smoothing and on windows and canopies.

Low Density Sealant Solutions

"It takes less fuel to fly an aircraft that weighs less. The removal of 100 pounds of unnecessary weight from each aircraft in our fleet results in approximately 430,000 gallons of decreased fuel use in one year. Weight reduction initiatives are continually evaluated for feasibility and impact on customers." - U.S. Airways 2010 Corporate Responsibility Report

Substituting 100 gallons of 1.5 density sealant to a 1.1 density sealant on a large aircraft could save around 334 lbs of weight. 3M AC-735 and 3M AC-380 are in their Low Density range (1.1sg) while 3M AC-350 has a Reduced Density of 1.4sg.

Brochure Highlight

Content Highlight: Introduction to Aircraft Sealant

Aircraft sealants have different properties depending on the area of application they are designed for.

We maintain a diverse inventory for different purposes, including fuel tank sealants, fuselage sealants, access door sealants, window and canopy sealants and firewall sealants at Silmid.

Each sealant is also different in the way it cures. Information about curing for specific sealants may be found on the corresponding SDS/TDS.

Recent regulatory changes in the European Union has seen the phasing out of dichromate cured applications, with most manufacturers now opting to pursue manganese dioxide cured solutions that are REACH approved and safer for the user.

More often than not, sealant selection is driven by OEM specification. Major manufacturers such as Boeing, Airbus and Embraer have an approved list of sealants for each application based on rigorous testing.