The US Navy wanted to find new ways to protect ships using coatings and polymers that could shield against explosions and fire. A research took off after the 9/11 attacks, with the new coating applied to rebuilt sections of the Pentagon. Office of Naval Research developed the coating with NanoSonic Inc., of Pembroke, VA. Harnessing nanotechnology and polymer science, the Navy has helped develop a spray-on protective coating that, depending on application thickness, makes surfaces blast-, ballistic- and fire-resistant.
Technology
NanoSonic makes the material using a patented, environmentally friendly, room-temperature nano-technology manufacturing process. The surface technology is called HybridSil Fire/Blast and acts like a force field that surrounds to protect any type of surface. Any existing material can be completely changed to make it more useful for the warfighter.
Properties
Few available materials provide explosions and fire resistant feature, but not both, since the properties are mutually exclusive with currently available material technologies. The material has fire-resistant properties. In Army and Air Force the coating can be used to protect buildings against vehicle-borne explosive devices.
The unique properties of these coatings are their ability to combine flame and blast protection. The material could be tailored for initial cure in 20 to 60 minutes at room temperature, followed by full cure within 24 hours in open-air environments.
Fire is one of the greatest threats on a ship or submarine. The coating can sprayed onto surfaces just like paint, with minimal surface preparation, applied in variable thicknesses; less for fireproofing and more for blast resistance.
Other coating technologies
Teslan Carbon Nanocoating, developed by Tesla NanoCoatings Ltd., of Massillon, OH, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Teslan is the first commercially available corrosion-resistant coating for steel made with fullerene carbon nanotubes (CNTs).
Nanostructured Antifogging Coatings, developed by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The durable, non-toxic antifogging and self-cleaning coating is intended for architectural glass, windshields, solar panels, and eyewear.
Electroplated Mn-Co Coating for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Interconnects, developed by experts from the National Energy Technology Laboratory (Albany, OR), West Virginia University (Morgantown WV) and Faraday Technology Inc. (Clayton, OH).