Optimizing DLC Coatings for Non-toxic Hydrophobic Coatings for Improved Infrared and Red Phosphorus Obscurant Performance

This proposal is to develop a novel plasma coating technologies and diamond-like carbon (DLCs) coating materials for producing non-toxic hydrophobic coatings to improve the infrared obscurant performance of metal flakes and red phosphorous (RP) powder for which the coating does not impede the RP burning. DLC coatings are highly hydrophobic, chemically inert, transparent in the IR range, and bio-compatible, and they are amorphous carbon materials containing high sp3 carbon. NCD Technologies will innovate new plasma coating systems to coat the metal flakes and RP with DLC uniformly. Specific DLC materials will be explored to coat the nano-scale metal flakes, rods and RP powders, to reduce agglomeration and oxidation while maintaining infrared obscurant performance. The delamination of DLC coatings on RF are also thermal controllable to allow the DLC coatings to peel off before the RP’s burning point, so that the coating does not impact burn rates or yield. This work will result in the supply of DLC coated metal flakes and RP to the ARMY for further evaluation leading to future adoption.