AeroPel: Omniphobic Corrosion Protection for Mission Readiness

Coatings/Corrosion Prevention

Problem Statement: Effective corrosion management is critical across the full asset lifecycle – from manufacturing through end of service – to maintain operability and avoid costly, unplanned failures. This is especially challenging in combat, remote and contested logistics locations such as the Indo-Pacific, where limited depot-level support makes following equipment manufacturer maintenance schedules impossible. Currently approved corrosion preventive chemicals and coatings have failed to offer necessary protection especially in these challenging environments and there is a need for innovative solutions for application in these remote and contested environments.

Description of the Innovation Solution: Rather than treating corrosion as a maintenance issue, Oceanit approached it as a surface physics problem. By engineering surfaces to repel water, oils, and contaminants, Oceanit created a new class of nanocomposite surface treatments that prevent degradation at its source. AeroPel Nanocomposite Protective Layer (NPL) is a next-generation corrosion protection solution designed for aircraft and ground equipment operating in demanding environments. AeroPel NPL uniquely imparts omniphobic (oil and water repelling) surface behavior while still retaining strong compatibility with organic contaminants, solvents and cleaners. AeroPel NPL is a water-based product that provides applicators flexibility in application, reduces health and safety risks. AeroPel NPL is applied at ~2 mil (50µm) thickness offers significant benefit in terms of extending asset life, reducing maintenance cycles, and easier refurbishing of the barrier to allow for improved operational readiness desirable in harsh operating environments.

Innovation Challenges: A key challenge in the adoption of this innovation is the nature of the product that is unique in the corrosion prevention primarily due to a water based, non-VOC coating material. Traditional corrosion preventive solutions are based on highly volatile solvent or hydrocarbon-based solutions that are designed to repel water but often can interact with oil/hydrocarbon present in the environment. AeroPel NPL provides a truly omniphobic surface that is created using a water-based formulation making it challenging to align with existing oil-based corrosion preventive compound standards.

Benefits to the DOW: In an ongoing effort with several USPACOM joint assets, Oceanit’s preliminary assessment of potential benefit for Expedient Small Asset Protection (ESAP) type structures suggests that extending the usable life by one year has a material value of $20,000 per year per structure (assuming value of approximately $500,000 and design life of 25yrs). The observed rates of corrosion in these types of structures indicate that intervention would be critical to achieving full design life. Based prior efforts, it is expected that a crew of 4-6 maintenance personnel with basic tooling and approximately 10 gallons of AeroPel NPL could successfully complete touch up application of corrosion prone areas within a week, enough to extend protection of the ESAP structure for a projected 2+ years, providing $40,000+ in material value and not accounting for any benefits from increasing readiness. AeroPel extends asset life, reduces maintenance and sustainment costs, and improves operational readiness.

Technical Maturity/ Demonstration Results: AeroPel NPL is a patented technology1 that has been extensively tested in both commercial and military aviation and infrastructure over the past decade. Under a partnership with Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMCO), Oceanit has been able to apply and evaluate AeroPel NPL on multiple GSEs, which are currently aboard naval assets on active deployment. There has been no observed corrosion during extended operational testing. Currently, multiple commercial aircraft operators and military aircraft program management offices are evaluating AeroPel NPL as a protective topcoat that enhances existing approved paints, and as an alternative to existing CPCs.