High-Temperature Easy-Removal Jet Engine Blankets

In this Special AFWERX program, NanoSonic shall transition our Thermal Array insulation and high temperature easy-removal adhesive appliques as an innovative Defense-Related Dual-Purpose technology for near-term military and commercial markets. NanoSonic has developed flexible polymer derived ceramic (PDC) HybridShield (HS) Thermal Arrays as fire resistant liners for Firefighter Gloves. NanoSonic has also validated and sold advanced pressure sensitive adhesives (PSA) that perform at high temperatures, maintain adhesion at Mach 1.9 and offer easy removal. A current need for these technologies (identified by Lockheed Martin JSF engineers and supported by the S&T Lead for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office) is an improved engine blanket. Current F-35 Nacelle blankets are applied with an adhesive that is extremely difficult to remove after flight. Engine blanket removal is time consuming and leaves a residual tar-like product on the engine which is nearly impossible to remove. Current blankets result in many workforce hours of scraping, or in some cases, engine scrapping. Here, high-temperature PSAs shall be integrated onto NanoSonic’s siloxane-foam Thermal Arrays. NanoSonic shall deliver Nacelle blankets to LM Aeronautics to adapt this non-defense technology as a low-cost thermal foam insulation for JSF in a short timeframe.