SBIR Phase II: A Cost-effective, Environmentally-responsible Alternative to Toxic Metal Coatings

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will address a pressing need for more environmentally responsible coating alternatives in the anti-corrosion market through the commercialization of a novel aluminum-based coating. If successfully commercialized, the aluminum electroplating process will displace multiple existing anti-corrosion coatings, which are based on toxic metals. The current market for these coatings is valued at $10 billion annually. The replacement of the toxic metals with aluminum will eliminate their release into the environment. The process is also expected to be less expensive than the incumbent technologies. The reduction in cost arises from decreases in plating solution, waste treatment, and metal costs. By decreasing the cost of corrosion-resistant coatings, it may also be possible to reduce the flow of plating jobs to less environmentally responsible areas overseas. For the aerospace industry, which is the initial target market, the availability of the process will mean safer conditions for workers, less environmental impact, and lower costs. In the process of addressing these needs in the coatings market, the research will elucidate a variety of interesting phenomena associated with electroplating of highly active metal species. The intellectual merit of this project is associated with its exploration of aqueous electroplating of highly active metals in the presence of atmospheric moisture and oxygen. Typically, electroplating of aluminum has taken place from organic solvents such as toluene at elevated temperatures under an inert purge. The expense and difficulty in scaling this technology has prevented its adoption for many applications, which might make good use of aluminum coatings. The goal of the project will be to overcome the technical challenges in scaling-up an aqueous aluminum electroplating process for producing aluminum coatings. Challenges to be addressed include mass transfer, current distribution, and coating quality control in industrial-scale plating baths. To address these challenges, the project team will work closely with partners in the electroplating industry, ultimately demonstrating the technology at scale in a working commercial plating shop.