Durable Rain Repellent Coatings for Aircraft Transparencies

Maintaining a high level of visibility in aircraft transparencies and other optical equipment is very difficult under inclement operational conditions. There have been significant efforts in the development of hydrophobic and superhydrophobic coatings that will shed water quickly off of surfaces. Whereas many technologies and coatings have demonstrated the primary goal of achieving watershedding properties, they have lacked mechanical and environmental durability, or have been difficult or expensive to apply. Luna Innovations is developing a class of highly durable watershedding coatings, titled HARSH (Hard Abrasion Resistant Superhydrophobic), which can be achieved through controlled surface morphology. Luna proposes to utilize this transparent, superhydrophobic, abrasion resistant coating developed in our laboratories for use on aircraft windscreens and canopies. The technology developed on this program will decrease life cycle costs, reduce maintenance, and increase the safety of Navy equipment and personnel.