Design and Synthesis of Nanostructured Corrosion Resistance Coating for Ageing Aircraft

This STTR program would investigate the feasibility of ionic self-assembled monolayer (ISAM) synthesis techniques for the fabrication of flexible multilayer, multifunctional corrosion mitigating coatings for the protection of large area aluminum aircraftstructural components. NanoSonic and our Virginia Tech STTR partner have already demonstrated that multiple properties and morphologies may be incorporated into such coatings by varying constituent nanoclusters and polymers through the thickness. Here,this would allow the combination of multiple desirable capabilities, including significant reduction in ion transport to the aluminum surface, an abrasion-resistant and water displacing topcoat, and controlled release-on-demand to permit periodic coatingremoval and recoating. This would build directly on related prior and current NanoSonic developments, including efforts involving the integration of multiple functionalities into nanocomposite ISAM coatings, and the conformal ISAM coating of largeaircraft components. The PI and research team have directly related industrial experience in adhesive and coating development and upscaling. NanoSonic has exclusively licensed fundamental ISAM patents from Virginia Tech to enable protected technologytransfer and commercialization. During Phase II, NanoSonic would work with a major U.S. aerospace contractor to demonstrate coating on large aircraft structures, and allow the direct transfer of the technology to established aircraft manufacturers andmaintenance organizations.Effective molecularly self-assembled corrosion preventative coatings formed without environmentally unacceptable chromium-based inhibitors would have significant industrial use on military and commercial aircraft, marinestructures, land-based vehicles, civilian infrastructure and consumer products.