Nanocomposite Coating for Corrosion Prevention of Underwater Connectors

Navy Submarines utilize a large number of undersea electrical connections to systems located outside the pressure hull (sonar, radar, communications masts etc). Long service life of undersea connectors is critical since maintainance and replacement is difficult and costly. Protection of undersea connectors from corrosion is a challenge. Current anti-corrosion technologies cannot easily be applied to complex connector geometries and are subject to a very specific form of corrosion called cathodic delamination. A fundamentally new type of anti-corrosion coating has been devised to address the problem. The proposed coating utilizes the characteristic of self-assembly, to achieve extremely even coatings on complex geometries. The coating is applicable to multiple surface types with good adhesion and is highly resistant to water and ionic permeation. Initial cost projections for the coating are favorable, with the potential for convenient and environmentally friendly manufacture using standard immersion baths. The Phase I study will establish concept feasibility, demonstrating key performance criteria using coated test coupons.