Concurrent Technologies Corporation Identifies Safer Sealant Technologies, Reduces Industrial Toxic Chemical Usage at Hill Air Force Base

JOHNSTOWN, Pa., Jan. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Under a contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory Energy and Environment Team (AFRL/RXSC E2), Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) has identified, tested, and recommended alternative sealant technologies to reduce industrial toxic chemical usage at Ogden Air Logistics Center (OO-ALC), the primary United States Air Force (USAF) facility for maintaining and overhauling aircraft landing gear.  OO-ALC is a part of Hill Air Force Base (AFB) located in northern Utah.

Aluminum landing gear components are anodized at OO-ALC to provide enhanced corrosion resistance, paint adhesion, and wear resistance.  However, a sodium dichromate sealing operation is needed to complete the anodizing process, and this sealer contains hexavalent chromium, which is listed on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) list of industrial toxic chemicals that are targeted for voluntary reduction or elimination.  Additionally, the Department of Defense (DoD) issued a policy directive in April 2009 that restricts the use of compounds such as hexavalent chromium on military vehicles and weapon systems.  Because of this, CTC was tasked to find alternatives that eliminated the use of hexavalent chromium for sealing operations.

To find a solution, CTC worked with OO-ALC personnel to define their engineering requirements and then identified and tested a number of non-chromium alternatives that could meet those requirements.  One of the alternatives, a permanganate-based seal, was found to have performance characteristics similar to, and in some cases better than, the currently used sodium dichromate seal.  The results were presented to OO-ALC personnel in August 2011.  Discussions continued with OO-ALC Landing Gear Process Engineers in preparation for presenting results to the Engineering Review Board in October 2011.

"In October 2011, CTC was informed that Hill AFB had approved the use of our alternative solution, a chrome-free anodized seal, for landing gear—wheels, brakes, and struts," said Mr. David A Schario, CTC Vice President, Physical Sciences & Engineering.  "CTC's goal has always been to make a positive impact with our work and find the right solution for our client.  The implementation of the chromium-free sealing technology will improve worker safety and reduce the environmental burden at Hill AFB and OO-ALC."

Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) is an independent, nonprofit, applied scientific research and development professional services organization providing innovative management and technology-based solutions to government and industry.  As a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, CTC's primary purpose and programs are to undertake applied scientific research and development activities that serve the public interest. For more information, visit www.ctc.com.

SOURCE Concurrent Technologies Corporation