Low-Temperature Gasketing Material

August Research Systems, Inc. (ARS) proposes to derive gasketing material suitable for the most extremely frigid terrestrial temperatures from a family of unique polyurethanes that have been in development for aerospace applications for nearly a decade. Such materials have glass transition temperatures below -90 deg F and are impervious to water and hydrocarbon fluids, even at elevated temperatures. Properties such as hardness, tensile strength, ultimate elongation, viscoelasticity, and temperature-dependent strain recovery are broadly tunable through selection of crosslinkers, curatives, prepolymer synthesis options, solvents, and fillers. Fabrication of serviceable material may be done by batch mixing and casting, blade-coating, diluting and spraying, and injection molding. Proposed innovations include identifying and achieving a set of material properties ideal for Naval gaskets and seals within the context of a manufacturing process capable of cost-effective mass production.