Colon

SMART COATINGS ™MATERIEL PROGRAM : SMART COATINGS ™ MATERIEL PROGRAM Nelson Colon US Army ARDEC Industrial Ecology Center Picatinny Arsenal, NJ ncolon@pica.army.mil


Presentation Outline : Presentation Outline Objective Problem Statement Technology Driver Research Management Team Nanotechnology Background Coating Characteristics / Example Research Tasks Program Benefits Summary


Objective  : Objective To develop & demonstrate “leap-ahead” coatings technologies for Army weapon systems. To provide Current, Interim Force and Objective Force with greater performance and survivability capabilities at lower total ownership costs Establish effective cooperative agreements & partnering networks with academia, industry and OGAs for technology development of dual interest.


Problem Statement : Problem Statement Coatings applied to weapon systems today are “dumb” Estimated total cost for DOD corrosion related problems is $20 billion per year $4 billion of which is related to painting/ depainting $1.2 billion of which is related to helicoptor maintenance Center for Army Analysis (CAA) Study Current coatings are unable to self-heal or alert user of anomalies thereby decreasing materiel survivability Current coating application and removal is labor intensive and hazardous to people working with them


Slide5 : HEMTT CH-47D CHINOOK


Slide6 : CH-47D B Co 24th AVN 1998 Parts M/H Floor Corrosion (5 Aircraft) $14,883 3500 Component Corrosion $1,047,951 600 1998 Cost $1,078,451 4100 Corrosion Costs *CH-47D COST $18.2 MILLION CH-47D BIWEEKLY


Technology Driver : Technology Driver In October 1999, Army leadership unveiled The Army Vision (2010): - to transform the Army into a strategically responsive force that is dominant across the full spectrum of operations Impact- A series of new and modernized weapons systems that will be fielded globally with challenges in materials and corrosion technologies


Research Management Team : Research Management Team Industrial Ecology Center, U.S. Army TACOM-ARDEC New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), NJ Clemson University, SC / Wake Forest University, NC U.S. Army Research Lab (Adelphi & APG)


Slide9 : Nanotechnology Background The ability to work at the molecular level, atom by atom, to create large structures with fundamentally new molecular organization Nanostructured materials yield extraordinary differences in rates and control of chemical reactions, electrical conductivity, magnetic properties, thermal conductivity, strength, and fire safety


Slide10 : Nano Size Perspective…...


Slide11 : Program Task Matrix


Smart Coatings™ Characteristics : Smart Coatings™ Characteristics Smart Coatings ™ Functions: Preserve items from corrosion Incorporate nanomachines Self-heal Permit easy removal when given the proper “orders” Protect items from harsh environments endured because of mission requirements Alert sustainment community of potential coating/substrate problems Substrate   Nanocrystalline cladding   Sensing   TBD Non-chromate inhibitor Possible Coating Structure:


Slide13 : Self-healing Coating example: University of Illinois researcher Scott White’s team has developed a synthetic composite material that can automatically heal itself when ruptured or cracked. The graphic image manipulated from a scanning electron microscope (left) shows a ruptured capsule (red) on a fracture plane (light blue) with the catalyst (multicolored). The chemical structure coming out of the capsule is the polymerized healing agent. In the optical microscope images (left), a crack passes through a microcapsule, which releases the healing agent into the crack


Smart Coatings ™ Task IV : Smart Coatings ™ Task IV Title: R&D of Smart Coatings™ Materiel through Noble Metal Nanoparticles Principal Investigator: Clemson University, SC Objective: To develop coatings that inhibit corrosion, sense failure and self heal with minimal environmental impact Status: Developed nano-engineered, organic metals incorporating carbon nanotubes Nanotubes shown to act as charge source to enhance electrical characteristics Able to monitor stresses within film via changes in absorption characteristics


Slide15 : Work Performed / Past Success Clemson Univ. (CU) has shown that dispersing nanometals within the electrochromic host can result in a change of the overall reflectivity characteristics By controlling the particle shape (length, aspect ratio, etc) one can control its optical response to incident light. Figure to right shows Color Changes with Nanorods of Silver as the Length to Diameter Ratio is Changed from 1(ball) to 6 (rod). CU has achieved excellent control over the particle morphology and can now create any light scatter they would like. This translates into COLORS!


Smart Coatings ™ Task II : Smart Coatings ™ Task II Title: R&D on Large Area Flexible Circuits Principal Investigator: New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ Objective(s): To develop large area array of sensors on flexible substrates to detect temp, stress, damage, sound, and light as required by needs of the Army. Information to be transferred to a monitoring site with alarms for preprogrammed dangerous conditions. Status: Fabricated and characterized prototype pressure and temperature sensors on flexible substrates


Program Benefits : Program Benefits Decrease life-cycle costs Reduce maintenance and liability costs Increase Army readiness by reducing equipment downtime Reduce potential hazards associated with depainting operations Correspond with Army’s Transformation Strategy to help safeguard our national and international interests


Summary : Summary Current coatings on weapon systems are not “smart” Army Transformation will result in new and modernized weapons systems requiring protection Smart Coatings ™ materiel for future weapon systems will increase survivability & readiness while decreasing life-cycle costs, maintenance & potential hazards


Slide19 : CONTACT INFORMATION Nelson Colon US Army Industrial Ecology Center Picatinny Arsenal, NJ 973-724-2482 ncolon@pica.army.mil Laura Battista US Army Industrial Ecology Center Picatinny Arsenal, NJ 973-724-5650 battista@pica.army.mil