Chemically Resistant Self-Decontaminating CARC Overcoat

Given the current COVID-19 pandemic, and the persistent threat of chemical and biological (CB) warfare to deployed U.S forces, the need for neutralization and active decontamination of CB threats is at an all-time high. For many military applications, chemical agent resistant coatings (CARC) represent the first line of defense against CB threats via a low porosity polyurethane paint that prevents absorption of chemical warfare agents (CWA)  and allows for easy decontamination. Given the prevalence of military equipment and vehicles that are already coated with CARC, and the sunk cost associated with that process, an ideal approach would be to produce an overcoat for CARC coatings with high barrier to resist chemical absorption, low surface energy for ease of decontamination, and rapid self-decontamination.  Currently, there is no approved overcoat to enhance the properties of CARC paints, and therefore there is a need for a novel coating system that would improve chemical resistance while providing a pathway to active decontamination at the surface. Luna Innovations, proposes to develop a durable coating  that will actively decontaminate chemical and biological threats on the surface of CARC in less than 5 minutes of surface contact, while providing improved abrasion resistance  over a 5-year lifetime of use.