Anti-Corrosive Pigment Developed for Military Use

Students and faculty at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire are working under a U.S. Department of Defense contract with a small manufacturer in Wisconsin to develop a more environmentally friendly anti-corrosion product for use in military equipment.

In a two-year, $231,709 federal subcontract awarded to Dr. Deidra Gerlach, who conducts research in chemistry and biochemistry, UW-Eau Claire is establishing its first example of this type of project and laying groundwork for additional industry contracts in the future. Other members of the UW-Eau Claire team include Dr. Krysti Knoche Gupta, instructor of chemistry and biochemistry, and undergraduate students Jackie Bradley and Connor Koepp.

Gerlach states, "The experiences that conducting research in collaboration with industry provides to students are invaluable," and adds: "Participating in research directly during the application phase within the framework of industry documentation and communication requirements not only gives our students the opportunity to identify their areas of interest in industry, but also makes them more attractive when they enter the job market."

WPC Technologies, based in Oak Creek with approximately 50 employees and developing high-performance pigments and additives for the paints and coatings industry, secured a larger primary contract and selected UW-Eau Claire as a subcontractor. WPC has a global customer base related to commercial aviation, industrial and military applications for products manufactured at its Wisconsin facility.

WPC Technologies has currently developed a more environmentally friendly anti-corrosion pigment used on a specific aluminum alloy for aircraft. The U.S. Navy contract requires WPC to develop a similar pigment that can be applied to steel and other aluminum alloys to extend the life and reliability of military equipment.

Brent St. John, president and CEO of WPC Technologies, states, "A commercial airliner can be refinished down to bare metal only once in its lifetime. A military jet carrier aircraft, however, requires a more frequent refinishing schedule due to harsh conditions."

UW-Eau Claire and WPC Technologies developed a connection over the years through Blugold students interning at the manufacturer and Eric Colwitz, who graduated from the chemistry department in December 2020, working as a full-time chemist at the company. St. John says UW-Eau Claire is a suitable partner for the project because the university has testing equipment for chemical analysis and student chemists trained in the company's quality control test protocols.

St. John states, "We like UW-Eau Claire's approach to working with commercial companies. Dr. Gerlach's lab is the right size for our project and we need a steady flow of good chemists. I don't like to use the term 'win-win' but it really is. For students, the opportunity to see real-world applications of what they study in class at the university."

Gerlach, who holds a doctorate in inorganic chemistry, explains that Blugold undergraduate students are "field workers" on the project, conducting tests and working to optimize the formulation using WPC's newest anti-corrosion pigments.

Gerlach states, "The formulation has many properties that must meet requirements for marine and air vehicles. Students will be part of the process of identifying variables that will produce an appropriate formulation for the new anti-corrosion pigments."

Bradley, a fourth-year chemistry student from Hurley, conducts experiments to test and analyze specific properties of materials and reports results to WPC. Bradley became interested in the project because she wanted to learn about industry partnerships and gain experience with inorganic/organometallic materials.

Bradley also gained experience in time management and communication in the paints and coatings industry.

Bradley states, "This type of research is much more than I hoped to find at UW-Eau Claire because of the people I've met and the experience I've had with different spectroscopy methods and techniques." Bradley plans to pursue graduate studies in inorganic chemistry with hopes of becoming a chemistry professor.

UW-Eau Claire and WPC are six months into the two-year project and St. John is satisfied with the technical progress. He hopes the company's collaboration with UW-Eau Claire will continue in the future.

St. John states, "Our goal is to be a partner with the Department of Defense each year, and regardless of what the project is, UW-Eau Claire is a key partner and we want to continue this collaboration as long as possible. This is good for everyone, including the state of Wisconsin."

In 2023, UW-Eau Claire received a $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation through the Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity program aimed at increasing industry collaboration. The Department of Defense-funded project allows the university to further expand its relationships with regional and state industries.

Dr. Doug Dunham, Interim Director of Strategic Partnerships and Program Development at UW-Eau Claire, states that Gerlach's collaboration with WPC Technologies exemplifies "important benefits of industry partnerships."

Dunham states, "These collaborations provide students with valuable technical skills and knowledge, inform faculty members about current industry needs, and advance the research and development objectives of industrial partners. Industry partnerships are vital to developing a well-prepared workforce and promoting economic development."