Nano-scale Coatings for the Protection of Electronics and Sensitive Equipment in Marine Environments

We propose to advance the state-of-the-art of durable superhydrophobic coatings for application on printed circuit boards (PCBs) found on underwater vehicles exposed to hydrostatic pressures up to ~10 atm, corresponding to depths of ~100 meters in fresh or salt water, through a combination of NEI"s in-house coating materials development and evaluations of existing nanostructured water-repellent coating technologies. The proposed program ultimately aims to demonstrate that a PCB protected with a superhydrophobic coating can successfully operate in water with performance comparable to a pressurized canister used to house electronics. This requires maintaining key properties electrical, mechanical, and thermal over time under a range of specified operating and environmental conditions, including hydrostatic pressure. The Phase I program will demonstrate the feasibility of producing a more durable and longer-lasting superhydrophobic coating that outperforms state-of-the-art coatings available from commercial sources and research groups specifically intended for protecting PCBs immersed in water. In Phase II, working with a DoD prime contractor, we will continue to refine the structure and architecture of our superhydrophobic coating in order to maximize compatibility, durability and longevity on PCBs exposed to and immersed in fresh and salt water under hydrostatic pressure.