Nonaqueous sol-gel for adhesion enhancement of water-sensitive materials

Abstract

The present disclosure provides sol-gel films and substrates, such as vehicle components, having a sol-gel film disposed thereon. At least one sol-gel formulation has about 10 wt % or less water content based on the total weight of the sol-gel formulation and comprises an organosilane, a metal alkoxide, an acid stabilizer, and an organic solvent. At least one vehicle component comprises a sol-gel coating system comprising a metal substrate and a sol-gel formulation disposed on the metal substrate. The sol-gel formulation has about 10 wt % or less water content based on the total weight of the sol-gel formulation and comprises an organosilane, a metal alkoxide, an acid stabilizer, and an organic solvent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle component comprising a sol-gel coating system, wherein the sol-gel system comprises:
 a metal substrate; and   a sol-gel formulation comprising:
 an organosilane; 
 a metal alkoxide; 
 an acid stabilizer; and 
 an organic solvent, wherein the sol-gel formulation has about 0 wt % to about 10 wt % water content based on the total weight of the sol-gel formulation. 
   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle component of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle component is selected from the group consisting of a rotor blade, an auxiliary power unit, a nose of an aircraft, a fuel tank, a tail cone, a panel, a coated lap joint between two or more panels, a wing-to-fuselage assembly, a structural aircraft composite, a fuselage body-joint, and a wing rib-to-skin joint. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle component of  claim 1 , wherein the metal substrate comprises one or more of aluminum, aluminum alloy, nickel, iron, iron alloy, steel, titanium, titanium alloy, copper, and copper alloy. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle component of  claim 3 , wherein the metal substrate comprises steel. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle component of  claim 1 , further comprising a secondary layer disposed on the sol-gel formulation. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle component of  claim 5 , wherein the secondary layer is an epoxy coating or urethane coating. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle component of  claim 1 , wherein the organosilane comprises at least one epoxide moiety. 
     
     
         8 . A vehicle component comprising a sol-gel coating system, wherein the sol-gel system comprises:
 a metal substrate; and   a sol-gel formulation comprising:
 an organosilane having at least one epoxide moiety; 
 a metal alkoxide; 
 an acid stabilizer; 
 a corrosion inhibitor having one or more thiol moieties; and 
 an organic solvent, wherein the sol-gel formulation has about 0 wt % to about 10 wt % water content based on the total weight of the sol-gel formulation. 
   
     
     
         9 . The vehicle component of  claim 8 , wherein the vehicle component is selected from the group consisting of a rotor blade, an auxiliary power unit, a nose of an aircraft, a fuel tank, a tail cone, a panel, a coated lap joint between two or more panels, a wing-to-fuselage assembly, a structural aircraft composite, a fuselage body-joint, and a wing rib-to-skin joint. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle component of  claim 8 , wherein the metal substrate comprises one or more of aluminum, aluminum alloy, nickel, iron, iron alloy, steel, titanium, titanium alloy, copper, and copper alloy. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle component of  claim 10 , wherein the metal substrate comprises steel. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle component of  claim 8 , further comprising a secondary layer disposed on the sol-gel formulation. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle component of  claim 12 , wherein the secondary layer is an epoxy coating or urethane coating. 
     
     
         14 . A vehicle component comprising a sol-gel coating system, wherein the sol-gel system comprises:
 a metal substrate; and   a sol-gel formulation comprising:
 an organosilane represented by formula (II): 
   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R is selected from alkyl, cycloalkyl, ether, and aryl; 
         a metal alkoxide; 
         an acid stabilizer; and 
         an organic solvent, wherein the sol-gel formulation has from 0 wt % to about 10 wt % water content based on the total weight of the sol-gel formulation. 
       
     
     
         15 . The vehicle component of  claim 14 , wherein the vehicle component is selected from the group consisting of a rotor blade, an auxiliary power unit, a nose of an aircraft, a fuel tank, a tail cone, a panel, a coated lap joint between two or more panels, a wing-to-fuselage assembly, a structural aircraft composite, a fuselage body-joint, and a wing rib-to-skin joint. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle component of  claim 14 , wherein the metal substrate comprises one or more of aluminum, aluminum alloy, nickel, iron, iron alloy, steel, titanium, titanium alloy, copper, and copper alloy. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle component of  claim 16 , wherein the metal substrate comprises steel. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicle component of  claim 14 , further comprising a secondary layer disposed on the sol-gel formulation. 
     
     
         19 . The vehicle component of  claim 18 , wherein the secondary layer is an epoxy coating or urethane coating. 
     
     
         20 . The vehicle component of  claim 14 , wherein the sol-gel formulation has from wt % to about 1 wt % water content based on the total weight of the sol-gel formulation.