Small particle coating technology recently developed at versar, inc. Makes it possible to apply cobalt/iron alloys to the surface of small carbon particles in amounts approximately the size of individual magnetic domains. A 50/50 cobalt/iron alloy is a high permeability alloy that also has high hysteresis loss and and high curie point. We believe a composite pigment particle consisting of carbon substrate of 1 to 10 microns size having discrete regions of cobalt/iron alloy upon the surface would be an outstanding broad band radiation absorber when dispersed in a dielectric binder medium. It could be expected to be effective over a wide range of radar frequencies and also be absorptive at the much higher visible light and infrared frequencies. We propose to demonstrate such pigment particles in a 6-month program by 1) producing a supply of narrow particle size range (1 to 10 microns) solid carbon particles, 2) develop sufficient coating parameter data to be able to produce 50/50 cobalt/iron upon them, 3) produce a supply of pigment particles in three alloy ratios including 50/50, 4) fabricate test coated plates with epoxy resin binder, and 5) test for radar reflectance, complex permittivity and permeability from 450 mhz to 40 ghz and measure visible light reflectance.
