ELECTROPLATED NICKEL RAIN EROSION RESISTANT COATING
Abstract
The problem of protection of plastic components of advanced aircraft and missile weapon systems from the damaging effect of rain impingement at high speeds is severe and will become more severe in the future. Metal coating of plastic laminates is particularly applicable to plastic structural members such as wing leading edge of aircraft, helicopter rotor blades, and turbine engine compressor blades. Epoxy, polyester, and polybenzimidazole laminates were electroplated with a minimum of 12 mil of nickel and exposed to a rain environment at subsonic speeds. The plated epoxy endured 160 minutes, the plated polyester 180 minutes, and the plated polybenzimidazole 473 minutes with no visible evidence of erosion. The latter represents a 40-fold increase in resistance over specification neoprene coatings. Supersonic rocket sled test runs at Mach 1.5 and 2.0 showed no evidence of erosion. The 60-degree angle exposure at Mach 2.5 showed mild damage. Electroformed nickel patches were bonded to stabilizer edges of an F-100 airplane which subsequently made a total of 163 penetrations into rain and hail storms for a total time of 440 minutes with no indication of erosion of the electroformed nickel. Substrate preparation and nickel thickness were found to be the most important criteria for obtaining good rain erosion resistant coatings. Mechanical interlocking achieved by sandblasting appears to be the most efficient method to obtain adhesion to the inert surface. A minimum thickness of 12 mil of the nickel coating on the laminates is recommended to obtain protection from rain erosion.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0666674
Entities
People
- James H. Weaver
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory