Influence on Surface Interactions by Substructure Topography
AssigneeU.S.A. as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsChristopher J. Wohl, JR., Frank L. Palmieri
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of forming a smooth aerodynamic surface that permits laminar flow of air over the smooth aerodynamic surface. Selected portions of a surface of a substrate material are ablated utilizing a laser to form a treated substrate surface having a predefined roughness. The treated substrate surface is coated to form a solid layer of material having a smooth aerodynamic surface that promotes laminar flow. The solid layer of material has a lower modulus of elasticity than the substrate material to provide durotaxis when an insect impacts the solid layer of epoxy material to thereby reduce adhesion of insect residue or other matter to the smooth aerodynamic surface.
Claims20
A method of forming a smooth aerodynamic surface that enables retention of laminar flow of air over the smooth aerodynamic surface, the method comprising:
- ablating selected portions of a surface of a substrate material utilizing a laser to form a treated substrate surface having a roughness of about 1.0 micrometer to about 3.0 micrometers;
- coating the treated substrate surface with a coating material;
- curing the coating material to form a solid layer of the coating material on the treated substrate surface, the solid layer of coating material having a smooth aerodynamic surface that promotes laminar flow of air over the smooth aerodynamic surface, and a thickness of about 1.0 micrometers to about 100 micrometers;
- and wherein:
- the solid layer of coating material has a lower modulus of elasticity than the substrate material to provide durotaxis when an insect impacts the solid layer of coating material to thereby reduce adhesion of insect residue on the smooth aerodynamic surface of the coating material.
A method of forming a smooth aerodynamic surface that permits laminar flow of air over the smooth aerodynamic surface, the method comprising:
- providing a material forming a substrate, the material having a first modulus of elasticity;
- ablating selected portions of a surface of a substrate utilizing a laser to form a treated substrate surface having a predefined roughness;
- coating the treated substrate surface with an uncured coating material;
- curing the coating material to form a solid layer of coating material on the treated substrate surface;
- and wherein:
- the solid layer of coating material has a second modulus of elasticity that is at least about an order of magnitude less than the first modulus of elasticity to thereby reduce adhesion of insect residue on the solid layer of coating material due to the lower modulus of elasticity of the solid layer of coating material.
A method of forming an aerodynamic surface that permits laminar flow of air over the aerodynamic surface, the method comprising:
- ablating selected portions of a surface of a substrate material utilizing a laser to form a treated substrate surface having a predefined roughness;
- coating the treated substrate surface with a coating material having a modulus of elasticity that is at least about one order of magnitude less than a modulus of the substrate material;
- curing the coating material to form a solid layer of the coating material having a smooth aerodynamic surface that permits laminar flow of air over the aerodynamic surface;
- and wherein:
- the solid layer of coating material reduces adhesion of insect residue due to the greater elasticity of the coating material relative to the substrate material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.