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Abrasion protection, ballistic tolerance, and laser protection for windows/sensor on rotary wing aircraft.

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Special Operations Command
Contract: H92222-09-C-0014
Agency Tracking Number: S071-007-0127
Amount: $1,126,770.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: SOCOM07-007
Solicitation Number: 2007.1
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2007
Award Year: 2009
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2009-01-30
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2010-04-30
Small Business Information
13339 Olde Stonegate Road
Midlothian, VA 23113
United States
DUNS: 135299324
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Francisco Folgar
 Director
 (804) 378-6034
 ffolgar@comcast.net
Business Contact
 Francisco Folgar
Title: Director
Phone: (804) 378-6034
Email: ffolgar@comcast.net
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Some of the US Army SOCOM greatest concerns are to maintain the helicopter pilot’s ability to see clearly and to provide helicopter windscreens with a greater degree of erosion/abrasion protection than what is being currently afforded. Recent developments on polymer coatings demonstrate the potential to meet and exceed all erosion/abrasion resistance and optical requirements by using plasma deposition of Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) films. INTER Materials is in a unique position to assist SOCOM with the development of a novel DLC surface coating concept for transparent polymers that provides to the helicopter windscreens with erosion/abrasion resistance and optical properties superior to PMMA. Our confidence in this technology is based on: 1) INTER Materials’ experience with erosion/abrasion protection, ballistic tolerance, and laser protection for window/sensor on rotary wing aircrafts; 2) INTER Materials’ promising and innovative multiple layers film deposition system using Plasma Ion Beam Deposition (PIBD) and Plasma Ion Immersion Deposition (PIID) processes; 3) INTER Materials’ ongoing working relationships with technology leaders in PIBD and PIID for DLC coatings; and 4) INTER Materials’ commitment to design and build its own 84” diameter vacuum system for DLC coating of existing new and used MH-6, MH-60 and MH-47 helicopter windscreen prototypes. BENEFITS: INTER Materials proposes to investigate a novel Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) surface coating concept for transparent polymers including polycarbonate and PMMA by incorporating an innovative multiple layers film coating system. The multiple layers deposition will be evaluated using two plasma deposition processes separately, Plasma Ion Beam Deposition (PIBD) and Plasma Ion Immersion Deposition (PIID). The objective of multiple layers is to custom design the adhesion, hardness, and erosion/abrasion resistance properties of the DLC coated film. The approach is to explore both plasma deposition processes, PIBD and PIID, then select the process that will deliver the best DLC properties at the most competitive cost for large-curved existing new and used windscreen prototypes of the MH-6, MH-60, and MH-47 helicopters. INTER Materials anticipates that the new DLC polymer surface coating technology will have an excellent commercial potential and a reduced investment risk because it will utilize its current transparent armor manufacturing infrastructure. INTER Materials has already made formal arrangements to work with strategically placed DLC coating equipment suppliers and recognized transparent armor manufacturers to commercialize this technology.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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