Zero VOC Thermal Sprayed Painting Process for U.S. Naval Equipment

1U.S. Naval aircraft protective coatings have demanding requirements which require shielding the aircraft from extreemly erosive and corrosive environments while at the same time remaining highly adherent, Strong and flexible from -60 up to 350 degrees. Strict requiremetns to limit volitile organic compound (VOC) emissions from painting opperations are in effect at Naval Air Rework Facilities where many have been threatened with fines or closure. During this Phase I program we will demonstrate the practical use of the Plasma Thermal Spray (PTS) proccess with pigments equipment specially modified for thremal spaying thermoplastic polymers with pigments at high rates. Phase I high rates. Phase I will prove that PTS tehcniques can be used to apply smooth, tough polymeric coatings without degrading the polymer binder or heating the substrate appreciably. The PTS process does not use polluting organic solvents and allows the use of thermoplastic binding polymers which could not be considered before for use in coatings because either there were no solvents available to dissolve the polymer to a low enough viscosity or the available solvents were too toxic to consider for use in coating formations. In Phase II, we will optimize the PTS painting process futher with partners that supply the plasma equipment and polymers. polythermic coatins without degrating the polymers