NO VOC, PLASMA THERMAL SPRAYED, CARC PAINTING TECHNIQUE FOR ARMY TACTICAL EQUIPMENT

FOSTER-MILLER PROPOSES TO INTRODUCE A TECHNOLOGY FOR APPLYING CHEMICAL AGENT RESISTANT COATINGS (CARC) WHICH COULD MAKE SOLVENT-BASED COATINGS OBSOLETE. THE PROCESS DISCHARGES NO VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCS) INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. IN THIS PHASE I PROGRAM, FOSTER-MILLER WILL CONCENTRATE ON USING AN INNOVATIVE PROCESS FOR APPLYING COATINGS SELECTED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DURABILITY, INCLUDING CARC PROPERTIES, ON TYPICAL EXPOSED SURFACES SUCH AS THOSE FOUND ON ARMY VEHICLES, WEAPONS, SUPPORT EQUIPMENT, AND SHELTERS. THE POTENTIAL FOR APPLYING THERMOSET AS WELL AS THERMOPLASTIC COATINGS TO MEET ARMY REQUIREMENTS FOR HIGHLY LOADED, LOW PERMEABILITY COATING BINDERS WILL BE EXAMINED BOTH ANALYTICALLY AND EXPERIMENTALLY IN PHASE I OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAM. A FORMULATION TYPICAL OF THAT USED FOR PURPOSES OF CAMOUFLAGE WILL BE INVESTIGATED. DURING PHASE I, THE ECONOMICS OF THE PROCESS WILL BE INVESTIGATED AS WELL. IN PHASE II, THE SELECTED COATING COMPOSITION(S) WILL BE MODIFIED AS REQUIRED TO FULFILL ALL ARMY REQUIREMENTS, AND DELIVERY SYSTEM PARAMETERS WILL BE OPTIMIZED. THE RESULT WILL BE A PROCESS FOR DELIVERING CARC-RATED COATINGS WITH EMISSION OF NO VOLATILE OR POLLUTING ORGANIC SOLVENTS.