High strength/weight carbon fiber-reinforced composites (CFRCs) are finding applications where control of surface infrared emission or reflection is desirable. A quarter wave sputtered Ge film has been shown to reduce the normal emittance of a bismaleimide CFRC in the 8 - 14 micrometers band by 39%, with angle dependence theoretically constant out to 80% off-axis. A three-layer HLH stack is predicted to reduce emittance of less than 0.1. For thermal IR polymer curing, a single-layer coating optimizing emissivity in the polymer's absorption band while suppressing emission at longer wavelengths may yield electric power savings in the 10 - 20% range.

Date Published: 1 October 1997
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 3133, Optical Thin Films V: New Developments, (1 October 1997); doi: 10.1117/12.279108

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3133:
Optical Thin Films V: New Developments
Randolph L. Hall, Editor(s)