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February 1988

By: Louis MacDowell

Abstract

This report evaluates coating systems with increased chemical resistance as topcoats to protect inorganic zinc-rich primers from the acidic attack of solid rocket booster (SRB) exhaust effluent after 18 months of seacoast exposure at the KSC Beach Corrosion Test Site. KSC launch structures and ground support equipment are affected by the products of the solid rocket booster exhaust which include small particles of alumina (AL2O3) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) absorbed on the surface of these particles. For this higher resistance, this study will focus on the high build polyurethane formulations with a high build epoxy tie coat to the inorganic zinc primer. These high build systems will be directly compared to thin film counterparts for increased resistance to the SRB effluent. Other information concerning laboratory adhesion, temperature testing, and topcoat gloss retention testing is also included in this report.

For additional information, a complete copy of this study is available as NASA Report MTB 268-86B.  Send requests for copies to corrosion@ksc.nasa.gov.

To download a full copy of this report in Adobe's pdf format for local printing, click 268-86b.pdf.  (0.7MB)

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