Transparent and antistatic conformal coating for internal ESD mitigation in space environment

• US 10,182,497 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2016
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Wang, Ge
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Danny
• Application Number:
  US15/176,978
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 361212, 361218, 361220
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/226 Special coatings for spacecraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/546 shielding electronic equipment
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2261/1424 containing ether groups, including alkoxy
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2261/3223 containing one or more sulfur atoms as the only heteroatom, e.g. thiophene
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2261/512 Hole transport
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2261/794 with polymeric dopants
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 25/18 Homopolymers or copolymers of aromatic monomers containing elements other than carbon and hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 165/00 Coating compositions based on macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming a carbon-to-carbon link in the main chain C09D107/00 - C09D157/00, C09D161/00 take precedence; Coating compositions based on derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 5/24 Electrically-conducting paints conductive materials H01B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0259 Electrostatic discharge [ESD] protection
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0145 Polyester, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate [PET], polyethylene naphthalate [PEN]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0329 Intrinsically conductive polymer [ICP]; Semiconductive polymer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/284 for encapsulating mounted components H05K1/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/285 Permanent coating compositions

Abstract

An electronic device on a spacecraft that is enclosed by a conformal coating that is transparent and sufficiently conductive to conduct accumulated charge on the electronic device. The coating includes an intrinsic conducting polymer, such as PEDOT:PSS, dissolved, for example, in an organic solvent, and mixed with a polyurethane, such as Arathane™ 5750 or 5753.

Claims

1. An electronic device on a spacecraft, said device being enclosed with a single outer layer conformal coating that is transparent and sufficiently conductive to conduct accumulated charge on the electronic device, said coating including an intrinsic conducting polymer mixed with a polyurethane.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the intrinsic conducting polymer is (PEDOT:

PSS poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophere)-polystyrenesulfonate).

3. The electronic device according to claim 2 wherein the PEDOT:

PSS is dissolved in an organic solvent as a mixture.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3 where the ratio of PEDOT:

PSS in the organic solvent is 1.5-2.5%.

5. The electronic device according to claim 3 wherein the organic solvent is Tuluene.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5 wherein the coating is 20 parts by weight of the mixture mixed with the polyurethane.

7. The electronic device according to claim 5 wherein the coating is 40 parts by weight of the mixture mixed with the polyurethane.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the conformal coating is a sprayed on coating.

9. An electronic device on a spacecraft, said electronic device being enclosed with a single layer conformal coating that is transparent and sufficiently conductive to conduct accumulated charge on the electronic device, said coating including a mixture of PEDOT:

PSS dissolved in an organic solvent and a polyurethane.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9 where the ratio of PEDOT:

PSS in the organic solvent is 1.5-2.5%.

11. The electronic device according to claim 9 wherein the organic solvent is Tuluene.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11 wherein the coating is 20 parts by weight of the mixture mixed with 100 parts by weight of the polyurethane.

13. The electronic device according to claim 11 wherein the coating is 40 parts by weight of the mixture mixed with 100 parts by weight of the polyurethane.

14. The electronic device according to claim 9 wherein the conformal coating is a sprayed on coating.