Patent ID: 8916021

Claim:
A method for fabricating a composite structure, comprising: applying a bonding material to a first component; converting the bonding material applied to the first component to an enhanced bonding layer by: heating the bonding material to outgas volatile species from the bonding material, wherein the outgassed volatile species accumulate to at least 0.05% in mass of the bonding material; and monitoring at least one of a ratio of the outgassed volatile species of different molecular weights and evaporating rates of the outgassed volatile species, wherein the enhanced bonding layer has a molecular weight that is reduced by at least 35% from a molecular weight of the bonding material; and contacting a second component and the enhanced bonding layer to join the first and second components, wherein contacting the second component and the enhanced bonding layer comprises pressing the first and second components against each other at a pressure between about 14 psi to about 200 psi.