Low Cost, Environmentally Robust Hybrid Polyorganosiloxane Nanocomposite Coatings for Preventing Inter-Granular Corrosion in Sensitized 5000 Series Al

The objective of this Phase II SBIR program is to develop and integrate a next generation corrosion protective coating that prevents corrosion within a broad spectrum of metal alloys including 5000 series aluminum alloys operating in demanding marine environments. Core HybridSilTM technology augmented with fluorinated copolymers coupled to reinforcing silsesquioxane nanoparticles provides primerless, single-coat corrosion protection with tailorable cure kinetics that may displace the use of the current, multicomponent MIL-PRF-23236 primer and MIL-PRF-24635 topcoat. NanoSonics innovative anticorrosion coating imparts improved corrosion protection via the prevention of water permeation, preclusion of permeation by ionic species. In addition, NanoSonics HybridSil Anticorrosion coatings boast significantly improved environmental (marine, impact, abrasion, UV and thermal) durability over the current coating system thereby reducing the frequency of reapplication. Moreover, independent laboratories have indicated that HybridSilTM Anticorrosion has negligible volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and provides more than a 1000 fold reduction in hazardous organic pollutants over currently employed anticorrosion coatings. Emphasis on the transition of down-selected coatings to affordable continuous mass production processes for Phase III integration with U.S. Navy vessels will be paramount. NanoSonic will also investigate and report upon the return on investment for integration of HybridSilTM Anticorrosion coatings over existing technologies.