Lightweight Durable Intumescent Paint

The USAF has a critical need for innovative, low observable, flame and heat resistant coatings for composite aircraft structures. Texas Research Institute Austin, Inc. proposes to build on our previous successful work with preceramic coatings to develop a new class of fire retardant, low observable intumescent coatings. Upon exposure to fire, this new coating swells into a tough, durable, insulating char that extinguishes burning and protects the underlying composite substrate. Our preceramic binder does not burn; it converts to a ceramic. Presently, commercially available intumescent coatings do not provide the adequate heat and fire protection required in the solicitation. The purpose of the proposed program is to develop new protective coatings that can be applied over composite aircraft structures and impart unique and vastly improved flame, smoke, and toxicity (FST) characteristics to the composite. Our approach uses novel materials, including preceramic binders, intumescing agents, RAM fillers, and glass microspheres. The proposed new flame retardant preceramic coating binders are very new materials, with revolutionary application possibilities emerging within the last few years.