Autonomous Trusted A.I. Integrated Sensing Robotic Superoleophobic Coating Maintenance System

This comprehensive maintenance system utilizes a nanotechnology superoleophobic coating and a self-contained robot that senses, maps, learns, and records coating life expectancy status and hangar conditions using optical tensiometer imaging of contaminant fluid to substrate/hangar floor contact angles.Floor contamination with oil leads to 80% or more injuries caused by losing one’s footing. Industrial sectors are particularly interested in oleophobic surfaces which can resist mineral oils. Superoleophobic surfaces with low contact angle hysteresis (CAH) for low surface tension (? 30 mN/m) liquids (e.g., hexadecane, different oils) are highly desired due to their super-repellency against oily contaminations in defense, industrial, and household environments.  Novum Nano and South Dakota Mines (SDM) propose developing a novel white oleophobic coating of fluorine functionalized TiO2, SiO2, and epoxy. Completing this development will provide the Air Force with a reliable and high performance white smart nano oleophobic anti-slip coating for hanger floor safety with super-repellency properties against oily contaminations.The novel nano-based coating will have a hangar-floor-appropriate white color and high super-repellency properties against oily contaminations at an extremely low weight percent loading of the nanoparticles. Smart nano oleophobic anti-slip coating will be stable at high temperatures with high strength mechanical properties.