Engineered coatings for composites and polymers used in defence and aerospace: now and the future

Abstract

The use of composites in aerospace and defence applications is increasing at a fast rate. The use of these new materials is presenting major challenges to the surface coatings industries, as these substrates require a totally different approach to that used for coating metals. This paper looks at some current projects where specialist coating systems have been developed to meet the performance, protection and decorative needs of the defence and aerospace industries on composites. It also looks forward into new coating systems and areas where the coatings industry needs to work with the manufacturers of composites and the manufacturing primes to enable composites to become the material of choice in many more areas. This will include many specialist systems that will not have needed to be considered on metals.