DEVELOPMENT OF LOW INFRARED (IR) REFLECTING COATING FOR AEROSPACE APPLICATIONS

THE AIR FORCE HAS A REQUIREMENT FOR PASSIVE ABSORBING COATINGS TO DEFEAT DETECTION BY MULTISPECTRAL ILLUMINATION. ORGANIC COATINGS CONTAINING A VARIETY OF FUNCTIONAL GROUPS CAN ABSORB INFRARED RADIATION ACROSS A BROAD WAVELENGTH RANGE. HOWEVER, THESE MATERIALS ARE DIFFICULT TO FORMULATE AND MAY HAVE A LIMITED ABILITY TO BE COLORED. AN EFFORT IS PROPOSED TO SYNTHESIZE A CLEAR, EASILY APPLIED ORGANIC MOLECULAR COATING CONTAINING A VARIETY OF FUNCTIONALITIES WHICH WILL ABSORB INFRARED RADIATION WITHOUT SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTING THE COLORING SCHEME OR RADIATION-ABSORBING ABILITIES OF THE SUBSTRATE. THE TASKS IN THE EFFORT WILL BE TO SYNTHESIZE THE MATERIAL, PREPARE COATINGS ON TEST ARTICLES AND MEASURE THE TEST ARTICLES FOR INFRARED REFLECTION, TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE AND ADHESION.