COATING MATERIAL FOR A LIGHTNING-PRONE OBJECT

Abstract

A coating material for a lightning-prone object includes a base color substance and an additive admixed with the base color substance. The additive comprises rigid hollow beads filled with an inert gas. At least a portion of the hollow beads have an electrically conductive coating.

Claims

1. A coating material for a lightning-prone object, comprising a base color substance, and an additive admixed with the base color substance, wherein the additive comprises rigid hollow beads filled with an inert gas, and wherein at least a portion of the hollow beads have an electrically conductive coating.

2. The coating material according to claim 1, wherein the hollow beads are subject to pressure.

3. The coating material according to claim 1, wherein the inert gas is nitrogen.

4. The coating material according to claim 1, wherein the hollow beads comprise a brittle material.

5. The coating material according to claim 4, wherein the brittle material comprises glass.

6. The coating material according to claim 1, wherein the hollow beads have a diameter of 10 to 100 μm.

7. The coating material according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive coating comprises a metallic material or a carbon allotrope.

8. A method for coating a lightning-prone object, comprising: applying a coating material with a base color substance admixed with an additive, wherein the additive comprises rigid hollow beads filled with an inert gas, and wherein at least a portion of the hollow beads have an electrically conductive coating.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising preparing the coating material by providing the base color substance and admixing the additive.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the applying is accomplished by spraying.

11. A coated object comprising at least one outer surface coated with a coating material according to claim 1.

12. The coated object according to claim 11, wherein the coated object is a vehicle.

13. The coated object according to claim 12, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

14. The coated object according to claim 11, wherein the coated object is a stationary object.

15. The coated object according to claim 11, wherein the coated object comprises a structure produced at least partly from a fiber composite material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Additional features, advantages and possible applications of the present invention are apparent from the description below of the exemplary embodiments and the figures. In this description, all of the features described and/or depicted, by themselves and in any desired combination, form the subject material of the invention, independently also of their composition in the individual claims or dependency references therein. In the figures, moreover, reference symbols which are the same represent identical or similar objects.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a sectional representation of a coating material.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a coated object in the form of an aircraft.

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a sectional representation of a coating of an object.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a coating material 2 in a schematic sectional representation.

[0034] The coating material 2 comprises a base color substance 4, which might correspond to a paint customary for the object in question. Admixed with the base color substance 4 is an additive in the form of hollow beads 6 composed of a rigid material. The hollow beads 6 are each filled with an inert gas which comprises, for example, nitrogen (N2).

[0035] At least a portion of the hollow beads 6 have an electrically conductive coating 8. This might, for example, be produced by vapor deposition with a metallic material. The hollow beads 6 have a diameter which is situated in a range of 10-100 μm and so substantially does not affect the mechanical properties of the base color substance 4. The diameter of the hollow beads 6 ought at most to correspond to a desired thickness of a coating applied to the object.

[0036] When lightning strikes a coating with the coating material 2, a current flow is initiated in the electrically conductive coating 8 and causes heating of the hollow beads 6 and bursting. It is preferable here for the hollow beads 6 to comprise a brittle material, for example glass. The nitrogen might be stored in the hollow beads 6 with an overpressure. On bursting, the nitrogen is released suddenly and is able to counteract the formation of a plasma channel caused by the lightning, so as to protect a coated structure.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a coated object in the form of an aircraft 10 which has an outer surface 12 on which the coating material 2 is disposed. In this way it might be possible to realize a coating 14 which is represented in FIG. 3. The coating 14 might be disposed on an outer skin 16 of the aircraft 10, said skin bearing a primer 18. The outer skin 16, which corresponds to part of a structure of the aircraft 10, may comprise a metallic material or of a fiber composite material.

[0038] For completion it may be pointed out that “comprising” or “having” does not rule out any other elements or steps, and that “a”, “an” or “one” does not rule out a multiplicity. It may be pointed out, furthermore, that features described with reference to one of the exemplary embodiments above can also be used in combination with other features of other exemplary embodiments described above.

[0039] While at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms “comprise” or “comprising” do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms “a” or “one” do not exclude a plural number, and the term “or” means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0040] 2 coating material [0041] 4 base color substance [0042] 6 hollow bead [0043] 8 electrically conductive coating [0044] 10 aircraft [0045] 12 outer surface [0046] 14 coating (of the object) [0047] 16 outer skin/structure [0048] 18 primer