Novel CORIN Materials and Advanced Coating Processes

During Phase I, Our Team successfully designed and synthesized a novel Colorless Organic/Inorganic Nanocomposite polyimide (CORIN) material that offers UV, VUV, and AO protection of underlying structures. Additionally, we designed and implemented a coating process for applying the material to continuous filaments, such as PBO fiber tow. A significant finding in Phase I demonstrates that our process eliminates the degradation of PBO under UV and atmospheric humidity conditions. In Phase II we will scale these materials and coatings technologies to the level required for production of meter-class freestanding CORIN films, CORIN-coated continuous fiber tow, and CORIN-coated polymer composite struts. We will accomplish this through polymer design optimization and characterization of environmental and thermomechanical properties. These technologies are significant and will provide AO-protection for a host of other military and commercial satellite applications. A satellite provider has a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite requirement for which CORIN materials will provide exceptional performance characteristics and AO stability. Military applications for which CORIN materials and coating processes will provide protection from environmental degradation include large-aperture communication structures, PV-array power systems, and space tether applications.