Air Plasma Preparation of Aluminum Alloy Surfaces for Pretreatments Navy SBIR FY2016.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2016.1 Topic No.: N161-061 Topic Title: Air Plasma Preparation of Aluminum Alloy Surfaces for Pretreatments Proposal No.: N161-061-0606 Firm: Luna Innovations Incorporated 301 1st Street SW Suite 200 Roanoke, Virginia 24011 Contact: Matthew Merrill Phone: (434) 220-2512 Web Site: http://www.lunainc.com Abstract: New methods are needed to prepare aluminum alloys for protective coatings in aerospace applications. These new treatments should result in greater performance and less hazards, wastes, and costs. Air plasma surface treatments have emerged as a safe, fast, and cost-effective means of cleaning and increasing the wettability of aluminum materials. The air plasma pretreatments however require adaptation to aluminum aerospace alloys as well as performance validation. The plasma will be modified to enhance the chemical effects required for improved performance of the high strength aluminum alloys. The effects include suppressing magnesium enrichment in the surface oxides, remediating interfacial copper intermetallic particles, hydration, and decomposition of contaminating organics. The proposed work will also establish the ability to non-invasively monitor the quality of the surface treatment. Luna Innovations has the expertise and resources necessary for establishing the value of treating alloy surfaces with modified air plasma for aerospace applications. Benefits: The modified air plasma treatments have the potential to provide greater coating adhesion and corrosion resistance to aluminum aerospace materials than conventional methods. The proposed technology is also expected to mitigate the hazards and wastes associated with conventional treatments for cleaning, desmutting, and deoxidizing aluminum materials. These hazards and wastes include significant volumes of volatile organic solvents, corrosives, and toxic materials. Greater aluminum material performance can be achieved with greater work safety, smaller adverse environmental impact, and less process variation. In addition to the aerospace industry, these air plasma treatment modifications will be applicable to automotive and other industries that rely upon high strength aluminum alloys. Return