PROTECTIVE COATINGS FOR COMPONENTS USED IN SPACE

IN THE LOW EARTH ORBIT, SURFACE MATERIALS OF SPACE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND SPACE STATION ARE SUBJECTED TO DELETERIOUS IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS. THIS PROPOSAL PRESENTS TWO NEW INORGANIC OXIDE POLYMERS (INVENTED BY THE PI) AS PROTECTIVE COVERINGS FOR COMPONENTS USED IN SPACE. FOLLOWING APPLICATION AND CURING, THESE POLYMERS WILL FORM ACOVALENT BONDING TO METAL AND NON-METAL SURFACES, AND THE FINAL COATINGS ARE NON-PERMEABLE TO CORROSIVE GASES, OXIDATION RESISTANT, HIGH-EROSION AND HIGH-TEMPERATURE RESISTANT, AND RELATIVELY LOW COST. THEREFORE, THESE POLYMERS HAVE GREAT POTENTIAL TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INTENDED USUAGE STATED ABOVE. IN PHASE I STUDIES, VARIOUS SUBSTRATE COUPONS COMMONLY USED FOR COMPONENTS IN THE SPACE INDUSTRY WILL BE COATED WITH THESE POLYMERS FORPRELIMINARY TESTINGS OF THE SURFACE PROPERTIES. IN PHASE IIWORK WILL INVOLVE FURTHER CHARACTERIZATION OF THESE COATINGSAND VARIOUS MEANS OF SURFACE APPLICATIONS TO SIMULATED AND REAL ENVIRONMENTAL TESTINGS. THE SUCCESS OF THIS STUDY WILLPROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL BENEFITS TO THE SPACE PROGRAM IN NASA, TO BOTH CIVIL AND MILITARY NEEDS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND WILL FULFILL MANY NEEDS FOR COATING OF A WIDE-RANGE OF COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS WHERE THE PRESENT COATINGS ARE INADEQUATE.