Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.

Bruce C Roman

Edward A Sturm

Ward C Stevens

An article comprising a non-conductive substrate having a sub-micron thickness of a sulfur-doped oxidizable metal coating thereon. Optionally, the sulfur-doped oxidizable metal-coated substrate may be further coated with (i) a promoter metal which is galvanically effective to promote the corrosion of the oxidizable metal, discontinuously coated on the oxidizable metal coating, and/or (ii) a salt, to accelerate the galvanic corrosion reaction by which the oxidizable metal coating is oxidized. When utilized in a form comprising fine diameter substrate elements such as glass or ceramic filaments, the resulting product may usefully be employed as an evanescent chaff. In the presence of atmospheric moisture, such evanescent chaff undergoes oxidation of the oxidizable metal coating so that the radar signature of the chaff transiently decays.

Sulfurized chaff fiber having an evanescent radar reflectance

An article comprising a non-conductive substrate having a sub-micron thickness of an oxidizable metal coating thereon, and an oxidation enhancingly effective amount of a salt, e.g., from about 0.005 to about 25% by weight of salt, based on the weight of oxidizable metal, present on the oxidizable metal coating. Also disclosed is a related method of forming such article, comprising chemical vapor depositing the oxidizable metal coating on the substrate, applying the salt by contacting of the oxidizable metal-coated substrate with a salt solution, and drying of the salt solution on the oxidizable metal film to yield the product salt-doped, oxidizable metal-coated substrate article. When utilized in a form comprising fine-diameter substrate elements such as glass or ceramic filaments, the resulting product may be usefully employed as an 'evanescent' chaff. In the presence of atmospheric moisture, such evanescent chaff undergoes oxidization of the oxidizable metal coating so that the radar signature of the chaff transiently decays, with the level of salt doping of the oxidizable metal film being variable to achieve a desired functional life and decay rate of the chaff radar signature.

Method of making a salt-doped metal-coated article having an evanescent

An article comprising a non-conductive substrate which is coated with a sub-micron thickness of an oxidizable metal and overcoated with a microporous layer of an inorganic electrically insulative material. Optionally, the oxidizable metal-coated substrate may be sulfurized and/or further coated with (i) a promoter metal which is galvanically effective to promote the corrosion of the oxidizable metal, discontinuously coated on the oxidizable metal coating, and/or (ii) a salt, to accelerate the galvanic corrosion reaction by which the oxidizable metal coating is oxidized, prior to overcoating with the microporous insulative layer. Also disclosed is a related method of forming such articles, comprising chemical vapor depositing the oxidizable metal coating on the substrate and contacting the metallized substrate with a sol gel dispersion of the inorganic electrically insulative material which then is dried under suitable conditions to form the microporous layer on the substrate. When utilized in a form comprising fine diameter substrate elements such as glass or ceramic filaments, the resulting product may usefully be employed as an evanescent chaff. In the presence of atmospheric moisture, such evanescent chaff undergoes oxidation of the oxidizable metal coating so that the radar signature of the chaff transiently decays.

Chaff fiber comprising insulative coating thereon, and having an

An article comprising a non-conductive substrate having a sub-micron thickness of an oxidizable metal coating thereon, and an oxidation enhancingly effective amount of a salt, e.g., from about 0.005 to about 25% by weight of salt, based on the weight of oxidizable metal, present on the oxidizable metal coating. Also disclosed is a related method of forming such article, comprising chemical vapor depositing the oxidizable metal coating on the substrate, applying the salt by contacting of the oxidizable metal-coated substrate with a salt solution, and drying of the salt solution on the oxidizable metal film to yield the product salt-doped, oxidizable metal-coated substrate article. When utilized in a form comprising fine-diameter substrate elements such as glass or ceramic filaments, the resulting product may be usefully employed as an 'evanescent' chaff. In the presence of atmospheric moisture, such evanescent chaff undergoes oxidization of the oxidizable metal coating so that the radar signature of the chaff transiently decays, with the level of salt doping of the oxidizabale metal film being variable to achieve a desired functional life and decay rate of the chaff radar signature.

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Danbury, CT, United States of America

Bruce C Roman