UV Curable Multifunctional Aircraft Protective Coating

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is designed to determine the feasibility of utilizing chrome-free solvent-free zero VOC ultraviolet (UV) light curable self-priming coatings as environmentally compliant multifunctional aircraft protective coatings. UV technology has the potential to satisfy the significant need for the reduction of chromate, VOC, and hazardous air pollutant (HAP) use in the aerospace industry as well as the need for cycle time reduction for coatings application. Light Curable Coatings is a technology leader for solvent-free environmentally compliant coating systems, with proprietary technology to rapidly cure heavily pigmented coatings with UV light, including low gloss camouflage color UV coating systems. This Phase I work will identify the most promising monomer, oligomer, pigment, and photoinitiator combinations to satisfy adhesion, corrosion, flexibility, gloss, and weatherability requirements of primer and topcoat specifications MIL-PRF-23377 and MIL-PRF-85285. Properties will be determined for UV curable formulations applied to both untreated and anodized aluminum alloy 2024 panels. This research will provide the groundwork for further development, characterization, and optimization of this technology to satisfy all military primer and topcoat specification requirements with a single coat multifunctional environmentally friendly aircraft protective coating.