Physical Optics Corporation — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: A14-003

Description

To address the Army need to detect the earliest formation of corrosion through paint, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Paint Additive/Non-Destructive Interrogation (PANDI) system. It is based on innovative implementation of nanosized silicon dioxide (NSD) particles as a paint additive, and remote measurement of hydroxyl concentration level, which accompanies early formation of corrosion. The NSD additive increases the infrared transparency of paint coating, while it is compatible with current coating systems and does not interfere with pretreatments. The PANDI system measures IR absorption by hydroxyls to remotely measure its concentration through paint and evaluate the level of corrosion. The standalone PANDI system is equipped with a borescope for inspection of difficult-to-access areas and Google Glass for intelligent inspection. Therefore, this system offers non-destructive detection of the lowest level of corrosion through paint. The lightweight and affordable (<$5k) system can be used in the field for condition-based maintenance of Army helicopters, which directly addresses the PEO Aviation requirements. In Phase I, POC will demonstrate the feasibility of the PANDI system with NSD additive on laboratory prepared coupons. In Phase II, POC plans to develop a full-scale system prototype for implementation on Army rotorcraft panels with structural sections.