PROAIR

The main objective of this project is the development of basic strategies for active corrosion protection of multi-material assemblies in new “green aircraft” designs. In this way the project is driven by a strong industrial demand but has at the same time a very important research component on a fundamental scientific level.

An essential starting point is a detailed investigation of the reaction mechanisms of corrosion caused by galvanic coupling effects in different multi-material combinations including Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) and metallic materials. This knowledge will be used as a basis for simulation of the localised corrosion processes in critical zones such as micro-confined hybrid joint areas and defects in coatings for multi-material application.

Another significant innovation is expected in the area of synergistic corrosion inhibition for galvanically coupled metals or the cases when a metallic material is connected to CFRP. The new active corrosion protection solutions based on novel corrosion inhibitors or their synergistic mixtures for multi-material combinations also present an important novelty (Fig. 1).

Figure 2. Synergistic complementarity between the research lines in PROAIR project.

The development of such new approaches is only possible via deep mechanistic investigation of the degradation processes in confined environments formed at multi-material joints. The second essential stage is finding the synergistic inhibiting combinations which can provide effective suppression of corrosion processes in the case of galvanically coupled dissimilar materials. The ultimate step is introduction of inhibiting compounds to the protective layers, adhesives and sealants used in multi-material design of aircrafts.

The project also aims in creation of stimulating and interdisciplinary R&D and training partnership, with actors from the academia and private sector, promoting the exchange of ideas, methods, techniques as well as enabling an accelerated technology transfer from science to industrial scale and of course a continuous collaborations between the stakeholders. The topic demands strongly innovation and interdisciplinary skills, since there is a lot of pressure from the private sector to develop more sustainable solutions for light-weight design of “green aircrafts”.