Material-coating system tuned for removal via laser ablation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025236090-A1
Application number	US-202418421637-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 24, 2024
Priority date	Jan 24, 2024
Publication date	Jul 24, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Examples are disclosed that relate to a material-coating system having properties that are tuned for fast removal via laser ablation. In one example, the material-coating system includes a substrate, a laser-ablation layer deposited on the substrate, and a topcoat layer deposited on top of the laser-ablation layer. The topcoat layer is at least partially transparent to laser light in a designated wavelength. The laser-ablation layer is tuned to absorb the designated wavelength of the laser light such that the application of the laser light in the designated wavelength to the laser-ablation layer causes the laser-ablation layer and the topcoat layer to collectively de-bond from the substrate.

First claim

1 . A material-coating system comprising:
a substrate; a laser-ablation layer deposited on the substrate; and a topcoat layer deposited on top of the laser-ablation layer, wherein the topcoat layer is at least partially transparent to laser light in a designated wavelength, and wherein the laser-ablation layer is tuned to absorb the designated wavelength of the laser light such that the application of the laser light in the designated wavelength to the laser-ablation layer causes the laser-ablation layer and the topcoat layer to collectively de-bond from the substrate.

2 . The material-coating system of claim 1 , wherein the laser-ablation layer is doped with an additive material that is tuned to absorb laser light in the designated wavelength.

3 . The material-coating system of claim 2 , wherein the additive material comprises nano-sized particles.

4 . The material-coating system of claim 3 , wherein the nano-sized particles comprise at least one of nanodiamonds, carbon nanotubes, gold nanoparticles, graphene, and nonclay.

5 . The material-coating system of claim 2 , wherein the additive material comprises micron-sized particles.

6 . The material coating system of claim 2 , wherein the additive material comprises a mixture of nano-sized particles and micron-sized particles.

7 . The material-coating system of claim 1 , wherein the topcoat layer is a visually transparent clear coat layer.

8 . The material-coating system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a reflective layer deposited in between the laser-ablation layer and the substrate and configured to reflect laser light in the designated wavelength.

9 . The material-coating system of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a metal alloy.

10 . The material-coating system of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a fiber layer and a resin layer, and wherein the resin layer is tuned to absorb the designated wavelength of the laser light such that the application of the laser light in the designated wavelength to the resin layer causes the resin layer to de-bond from the fiber layer of the substrate.

11 . A process for fabricating a material-coating system, the process comprising:
applying a laser-ablation layer on top of a substrate; and applying a topcoat layer on top of the laser-ablation layer, wherein the topcoat layer is at least partially transparent to laser light in a designated wavelength, and
wherein the laser-ablation layer is tuned to absorb the designated wavelength of the laser light such that the application of the laser light in the designated wavelength to the laser-ablation layer causes the laser-ablation layer and the topcoat layer to collectively de-bond from the substrate.

12 . The process for fabricating the material-coating system of claim 11 , further comprising:
applying a reflective layer on top of the substrate; and applying the laser-ablation layer on top of the reflective layer.

13 . The process for fabricating the material-coating system of claim 11 , further comprising:
doping the laser-ablation layer with an additive material that is tuned to absorb laser light in the designated wavelength.

14 . The process for fabricating the material-coating system of claim 12 , wherein the additive material comprises nano-sized particles.

15 . The process for fabricating the material-coating system of claim 12 , wherein the nano-sized particles comprise at least one of nanodiamonds, carbon nanotubes, gold nanoparticles, graphene, and nanoclay.

16 . The process for fabricating the material-coating system of claim 12 , wherein the additive material comprises micron-sized particles.

17 . The process for fabricating the material-coating system of claim 12 , wherein the additive material comprises a mixture of nano-sized particles and micron-sized particles.

18 . The process for fabricating the material-coating system of claim 11 , wherein the topcoat layer is a visually transparent clear coat layer.

19 . The process for fabricating the material-coating system of claim 11 , wherein the substrate comprises a fiber layer and a resin layer, and wherein the resin layer is tuned to absorb the designated wavelength of the laser light such that the application of the laser light in the designated wavelength to the resin layer causes the resin layer to de-bond from the fiber layer of the substrate.

20 . A material-coating system comprising:
a substrate; a reflective layer deposited on the substrate; a laser-ablation layer deposited on the reflective layer; and a topcoat layer deposited on top of the laser-ablation layer, wherein the topcoat layer is at least partially transparent to laser light in a designated wavelength, wherein the laser-ablation layer is doped with an additive material that is tuned to absorb the designated wavelength of the laser light such that the application of the laser light in the designated wavelength to the laser-ablation layer causes the laser-ablation layer and the topcoat layer to collectively de-bond from the substrate, and wherein the reflective layer is configured to reflect laser light in the designated wavelength.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Gregersen Kimberly-Alice
• Blohowiak Kay Y
• Froning Marc J
• Hicker Alexander Anthony
• Johnson Matthew Carl
• Tsotsis Thomas Karl
• Helm Scott Lewis

Classifications

• B05D5/06

  to obtain multicolour or other optical effects (B05D5/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05D7/14

  to metal, e.g. car bodies (involving a chemical reaction between the metal and the coating C23) · CPC title

• B05D7/53

  Base coat plus clear coat type · CPC title

• B05D7/24 Primary

  for applying particular liquids or other fluent materials · CPC title

• B32B2605/18

  Aircraft · CPC title