United Technologies Research Center Wins Two 2014 R&D 100 Awards for Green Technology Innovations
Pratt & Whitney recognized for co-development of game-changing advancements
EAST HARTFORD, Conn., Nov. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- United Technologies Research Center (UTRC), the research and innovation arm of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), has been recognized by R&D Magazine as a recipient of the publication's prestigious R&D 100 Award for two breakthrough eco-friendly technologies: EcoTuff® corrosion inhibitor and a portable aluminum deposition system (PADS).
Winners, selected by a judging panel composed of industry experts and R&D Magazine editors, will be formally honored at R&D Magazine's 2014 R&D 100 Awards ceremony being held today, Nov. 7, at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"For more than two decades, UTRC has worked to supplant hazardous materials and pollutants used by various industries – including aerospace, defense and refrigerants – in their manufacturing processes with non-toxic, environmentally friendly chemistries," said David Parekh, vice president, Research, and director, UTRC. "The development of the EcoTuff and PADS technologies and their recognition by industry experts as two of the 100 most technologically significant products introduced during the past year validates UTRC's commitment to sustainability through innovation. This is a tremendous accomplishment and sets an important precedent for UTRC and the corporation as a whole."
UTRC's EcoTuff anticorrosion pigment for organic coatings was co-developed with and commercialized through Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp. EcoTuff was recognized for its 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. This game-changing technology is already being used in the aerospace industry in the form of adhesive bonding primers produced and sold globally, and holds wide application potential for such markets as paint primers, process fluids and machining coolants.
"This recognition of EcoTuff pigment's innovative benefits demonstrates Pratt & Whitney's leadership in the development of advanced technology not only in our own products, but for the entire aerospace industry and other industries as well," said Dr. Michael Winter, director of Systems & Controls Engineering, UTC, and former chief engineer of technology, at Pratt & Whitney.
The second R&D 100 award-winning UTRC innovation, the PADS, was developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory in collaboration with UTRC and the University of Mississippi. It represents the world's first cost-effective, portable and "green" aluminum electroplating system that repairs, and protects against, corrosion. The PADS was selected as an R&D 100 recipient by virtue of its ability to deposit aluminum on geometrically complex conductive metal surfaces without the extremely stringent moisture- and oxygen-free environment required by traditional aluminum deposition techniques.
Additionally, the PADS technology's innate flexibility can potentially reduce the cost of aluminum plating by as much as 50 times by allowing field repairs anywhere. The technology enables selective plating on structures that are too large to fit into a conventional plating bath or that feature intricate geometries that require costly tooling and capital investment, and also enables the elimination of hazardous coating materials and surface treatment methods.
Both products, which are designed to prevent and/or repair corrosion on structural metal parts, will be among the year's top 100 technological innovations showcased at the R&D 100 Awards ceremony.
R&D Magazine featured its R&D 100 Awards – known as the "Oscars of Innovation" – and 2014 recipients, including UTRC's EcoTuff and PADS technologies, in its Sept./Oct. 2014 issue. For a complete list of 2014 R&D 100 Awards winners, visit: http://www.rdmag.com/award-winners/2014/07/2014-r-d-100-award-winners.
About United Technologies Research Center
UTRC delivers advanced technologies to the businesses of United Technologies Corp. to improve the performance, energy efficiency and cost of United Technologies Corp. products and processes. UTRC engages with United Technologies Corp. business units and external research organizations globally to pursue research and develop technology options that meet and anticipate the needs of the marketplace.
Celebrating its 85th year, UTRC is headquartered in East Hartford, Connecticut, and leverages a global network of innovation through subsidiaries in Shanghai, China and Cork, Ireland, and an affiliate in Berkeley, California. Find out what it means to Be Curious at www.utrc.utc.com.
About Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units.
About United Technologies Corp.
United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Connecticut, provides high technology products and services to the building and aerospace industries. United Technologies Corp. businesses include Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, UTC Aerospace Systems and UTC Building & Industrial Systems. For more information, visit www.utc.com or follow the company on Twitter: @UTC.
Contact:
Laura Stevens
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(860) 610-1653
SOURCE United Technologies Research Center
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