Tech Briefs Magazine - July 2021 - 26

Materials & Coatings
Copolyimide Surface-Modifying Coating
The coating repels insects on aircraft wing surfaces and motor vehicles and reduces surface
imperfections on other low-friction or non-stick surfaces.
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia
ASA Langley developed a coating
material made of a novel copolyimide
containing surface-modifying
agents (SMAs) that is designed to prevent
the accumulation of insect residue
on aircraft wings. These residues have
N
the potential to significantly disrupt laminar
airflow over the wings and eliminating
them can reduce air resistance and
improve fuel economy.
Accumulation of undesirable species
such as insect residue is mitigated by use
of copolyimide coatings incorporating
fluo rine and silicon SMAs in a novel
chemical formulation. The coating minimizes
adhesion while at the same time
maintaining the bulk properties of the
polyimide coating. The specific SMAs
used here are designed to be thermodynamically
drawn to the coating surface.
Further, the SMAs react chemically with
the polymer backbone and are thus
chemically bonded, so the SMAs will not
evaporate or migrate out of the coating
material. The coating adheres well to a
range of relevant materials including aluminum,
composites, and plastics.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to comThe
coating is designed to prevent the accumulation of insect residue on surfaces. (Image credit:
NASA Langley)
mercialize this technology. Please contact
NASA's Licensing Concierge at AgencyPatent-Licensing@mail.nasa.gov
or call us
at 202-358-7432 to initiate licensing discussions.
Follow this link for more information:
https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/LARTOPS-233.
Alkaline
Hydrogel Advances Skin Wound Care
A novel method was developed to produce an alkaline hydrogel that could improve
wound healing.
Tokyo University of Science, Japan
ith an increase in the elderly and
aging population and also in the
number of invasive surgeries, wound
healing has become a critical focus area
in medicine. The complex bodily pro -
cesses involved in wound healing make
it challenging as well as rewarding to
identify newer methods and materials
for effective wound healing.
W
Effective wound care requires the
maintenance of optimal conditions for
skin and tissue regeneration. Hydrogels
provide many of these conditions but
not an alkaline environment. Scientists
have developed a new method that
requires no specialized equipment and
can be performed at room temperature
to produce an alkaline hydrogel in five
26
Cov
minutes, allowing its easy implementation
in any medical practice for superior
wound healing.
It is important to create an optimal
physiological environment around a
wound to promote the growth of new
cells. Recent research has revealed that
hydrogels are exceptionally useful for
achieving such conditions given its
molecular structure. Hydrogels are
three-dimensionally cross-linked networks
of polymers that can absorb more
than 95% of their volume in water.
Hydrogels with natural polymers have
excellent compatibility with the biological
conditions of skin and tissues
(referred to as biocompatibility), can
absorb fluids from the wound, and conwww.techbriefs.com
ToC
tinuously
provide moisture into the
wound, creating a highly suitable environment
for the wound to heal.
One such natural polymer used in
hydrogels for wound dressing is alginate,
a carbohydrate derived from seaweed
and therefore abundantly available.
Alginate gels are very easy to prepare but
gelation occurs quickly, making it difficult
to control the gelation time.
Although methods to achieve this control
have previously been reported,
ensuring short gelation time while maintaining
transparency results in hydrogels
with a slightly acidic (4-6) or neutral
pH. Slightly acidic conditions were,
until recently, believed to be beneficial
for wound healing but newer research
Tech Briefs, July 2021

https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/LAR-TOPS-233 http://www.techbriefs.com http://www.abpi.net/ntbpdfclicks/l.php?202107TBNAV

Tech Briefs Magazine - July 2021

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