Aircraft Nanocoating for Elastomer Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft components, particularly elastomeric ones, degrade prematurely due to exposure to oils, ultraviolet radiation, and ozone, and existing protective coatings can be thick, inflexible, or obstructive, affecting performance and visibility of wear or damage.
Innovation Solution
A protective nanocoating with particles of 0.1 to 200 nanometers in dimension is applied to the exterior surfaces of aircraft components, providing protection against oils, ultraviolet radiation, and ozone without compromising flexibility or visibility of wear, and can be tailored to specific environmental exposures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a relatively thick and/or inflexible external coating is applied to protect aircraft components from oils, ultraviolet radiation, and ozone, then protection effectiveness is improved, but the coating may lead to breakage when flexed and may obscure signs of component wear or damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nanotechnology to change the scale parameter of protective particles from micrometer/thick scale to nanometer scale (0.1-200 nm). This parameter change enables the coating to provide effective protection while maintaining flexibility and transparency, resolving the contradiction between protection effectiveness and operational flexibility/visibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a thin film nanocoating approach where protective particles are suspended in a clear coating matrix applied as a thin layer. This thin film structure provides the necessary protection while maintaining the flexibility of the underlying elastomeric component and allowing visual inspection of wear patterns
2Object-affected harmful factors
If oleophobic, ultraviolet radiation resistant, and ozone resistant elements are intermingled, dispersed, mixed, impregnated within, and/or otherwise integrated into the elastomeric component near an outer surface, then protection is provided, but the integration may undesirably affect a performance and/or service life of the elastomeric component
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the protective function from the structural function by applying protective particles as a surface coating rather than integrating them into the bulk elastomeric material. This segmentation allows the elastomeric component to maintain its original performance characteristics while the surface coating provides environmental protection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a clear coating matrix as an intermediary medium that suspends the protective particles on the surface of the elastomeric component. This intermediary layer provides protection while preventing direct interaction between the protective particles and the elastomeric material, thus avoiding negative effects on component performance
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The nanocoating effectively extends the service life of elastomeric components by preventing degradation while maintaining flexibility and allowing for visual inspection of wear, providing a molecularly impervious shield against harmful environmental factors.
Implementation Method 1
the protective particles are configured to protect against at least one of oil, ultraviolet radiation and ozone
Implementation Method 2
the protective particles are configured to protect against at least one of oil, ultraviolet radiation and ozone
Data Source
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AI summary
An aircraft (100) component has an exterior surface and a protective nanocoating (PN 200) carried by the exterior surface. An aircraft (100) has an engine (106), a fuselage (102), and a component having an exterior surface and a protective nanocoating carried by the exterior surface. A method (600) of protecting an aircraft component includes selecting at least one harmful environmental component and applying (604) a protective nanocoating (PN 200) to the aircraft component, wherein the protective nanocoating (PN 200) is configured to protect the aircraft component from the selected harmful environmental component.