United Technologies Corp.’s research arm was recently awarded two R&D 100 awards by R&D Magazine for two breakthrough eco-friendly technologies: EcoTuff corrosion inhibitor and a portable aluminum deposition system (PADS).
The R&D 100 awards recognize the 100 top technological innovations of the year and were recently handed out in Las Vegas. United Technologies Research Center’s two award-winning technologies were honored for how they will reshape the way the aerospace industry and other market sectors deal with corrosion on aircraft, making the work non-toxic and significantly more cost efficient.
UTRC’s EcoTuff anticorrosion pigment for organic coatings was co-developed with and commercialized through Pratt & Whitney. EcoTuff has the ability to prevent the corrosion of high-strength aluminum alloys while maintaining the strength required for structural adhesive bond priming of aerospace products, without the use of hazardous materials.
The PADS was developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory in collaboration with UTRC and the University of Mississippi. It represents the world’s first portable and “green” aluminum electroplating system that repairs, and protects against, corrosion.
