Issued patent
Synthesis and Development of Polyurethane Coatings Containing Fluorine Groups for Adhesive Applications
An issued NASA patent from the Technology Transfer catalog.
About this technology
Overview
Accumulation of insect strikes on the leading edge of airplane wings is a more serious problem than one might realize. Depending on the magnitude, such accumulation changes the aerodynamic characteristics of the wing causing a change from laminar to turbulent flow and resulting in decreased lift and increased drag. Overall, this also results in decreased fuel efficiency. According to a study published in 1950, the drag coefficient measured on an aircraft wing was determined to increase as much as 100%. Although much work has been done to mitigate this problem. Proposed solutions include elastic surfaces, coatings, soluble films, and fluid covers. Each of these approaches had significant drawbacks.