Durable, Low Friction Coating for Variable Speed Refueling Drogue (VSRD)

ABSTRACT:Current surface modification and lubricant technologies are either ineffective or too expensive and difficult to apply on US Air Force refueling drogue components. A low-cost, non-toxic, environmentally benign, corrosion inhibiting, easy-to-apply lubricant could significantly reduce US Air Force current cost burdens to perform aerial refueling exercises and missions. To address these requirements Texas High Energy Materials offers an advanced lubricant technology that, in its first-generation, exhibited full compliance to MIL-L-23398 performance specifications, and has been fully characterized using state-of-the-art surface analysis methodologies. In Phase I we demonstrated its superior lubricating performance over the costly, maintenance intensive, and time consuming incumbent drogue coating. We also showed that it can be easily applied by maintenance technicians, without training, to drogues on aircraft in the field from a liquid shoe polish applicator and cured in place without heating, ovens or other equipment. In Phase II we will optimize its adhesion to unprepared extruded aluminum the drogue ribs; qualify it for use in this application using the full repertoire of challenging tribology tests and field condition simulations; scale up the manufacturing process; provide evaluation samples to Air Force Maintenance personnel for laboratory and field evaluations; and transition this new product to the Air Force. BENEFIT:Our permanent, ultra-low friction, durable, extreme-pressure resistant lubricant is offered as a cost-effective surface pre-treatment that will function alone or synergistically enhance the hydrodynamic performance of liquid lubricants and greases presently in service. Management of friction and wear of drogue refueling components with our lubricant technology will allow the US Air Force to achieve its performance operating cost targets. An added benefit or our technology will be to extend the service life of the lubricated part and ultimately the life of the drogue refueling system at significantly reduced life cycle cost. Air Force personnel will be pleased with the immediate cost, performance and application benefits from our proposed low-cost, ultra-low coefficient of friction, non-toxic, zero-VOC, environmentally benign, non-flammable, corrosion inhibiting, durable, high load-carrying capacity lubricant coating. Our lubricant technology will have a very low cost relative to mechanical grinding and polishing processes, and traditional lubricants and greases. In addition to outperforming those dated, well-worn products and expensive procedures, our lubricant provides application simplicity through HVLP, VOC-compliant aerosol spray, dip or brush application. We have direct experience developing a successful first-generation lubricant technology through the SBIR program. Advancements to this technology will be conducted to meet further US DoD, ASTM, SAE and STLE tribological test standards, specifications and efficiency improvement requirements. Potential Commercial Applications include aerospace servomotor applications, camshaft lobes, recreational rifle bolts and actions, tracked vehicle pins, ring and pinion gear sets, piston skirts, aircraft engine thrust bearings, ring and bore assemblies, and valve seats.