Advanced Canopy and Window Materials for Improved Helicopter and Aircrew Survivability

This program seeks to demonstrate a new EMI/RF control and protective coating technology for aircraft transparencies. This will be accomplished by using carbon nanotube (CNT) coatings as transparent electrodes within multi-layer aircraft canopies, provided by Texstars Inc.. The result of this work is the delivery of several prototype parts to demonstrate integration of this technology into current aircraft platforms. To meet this goal the proposed Phase II program has four main technological objectives: (1) to optimize CNT-binder composite coating layer (Invisicon®) for use as a transparent electrode for EMI/RF dissipation in multi-layer aircraft canopies, (2) to integrate Invisicon® technology into current aircraft canopy processing, (3) to fabricate a subscale prototype multi-layer canopy with an Invisicon® EMI/RF dissipation layer, and (4) to validate performance characteristics through material and device testing. Multi-layered transparencies , with CNT electrode coatings, will posses improved resistance to environmental weathering and greater mitigation of EMI/RF based threats compared to the current state of the art. The proposed approach allows deposition by common atmospheric processing methods that are scalable to coat large areas and complex curvature.