Elimination of surfacing film and primer from composite substrates

1. A co-curable epoxy-based composite material comprising:

at least one layer of a co-curable polyurethane-based coating material, said co-curable polyurethane-based coating material configured to be disposed directly onto the co-curable epoxy-based composite material to form co-curable epoxy-based composite material coated with a co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer, said co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer comprising:

an amount of a UV-stabilizer agent; and

an amount of a curing control agent;

wherein the co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer at a thickness ranging from about 2 mils to about 3 mils comprises a UV transmittance value of 0% over a UV wavelength range of from about 200 nm to about 800 nm and comprises a Tg ranging from about 50° F. to about 250° F.

2. The co-curable epoxy-based composite material of claim 1 , wherein the UV-stabilizer agent and the curing control agent are incorporated into the co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer.

3. The co-curable epoxy-based composite material of claim 1 , wherein the co-curable epoxy-based composite material comprises at least one of: a carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy material, a glass-fiber reinforced epoxy material, a boron fiber-reinforced epoxy material; an aramid fiber-reinforced material; and combinations thereof.

4. The co-curable epoxy-based composite material of claim 1 , wherein the co-curable epoxy-based composite material is configured to co-cure with the co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer at a temperature ranging from about 250° F. to about 370° F.

5. The co-curable epoxy-based composite material of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one tack layer configured to be in contact with the co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer.

6. The co-curable epoxy-based composite material of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one scrim layer disposed onto the co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer.

7. The co-curable epoxy-based composite material of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one scrim layer disposed onto the co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer; and

at least one tack layer configured to be in contact with the co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer.

8. The co-curable epoxy-based composite material of claim 1 :

wherein the co-curable epoxy-based composite material does not comprise an intervening surfacing layer between the co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer and the co-curable epoxy-based coating material; and

wherein the co-curable epoxy-based composite material does not comprise an intervening primer layer between the co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer and the co-curable epoxy-based composite material.

9. The co-curable epoxy-based composite material of claim 1 , wherein the co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer is applied as a film to the co-curable epoxy-based composite material.

10. A composite component comprising the co-curable epoxy-based composite material of claim 1 .

11. A co-cured polyurethane-coated epoxy-based composite material comprising:

a co-cured polyurethane-based coating material; and

a co-cured epoxy-based composite material, to form a co-cured polyurethane-coated epoxy-based composite material, said co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer comprising an amount of a UV stabilizer agent;

wherein the co-cured polyurethane-based coating material layer comprises a UV transmittance value of 0% when the co-cured polyurethane-based coating material layer comprises an average thickness ranging from about 2 mils to about 3 mils.

12. The co-cured epoxy-based composite material of claim 11 , wherein the co-curable epoxy-based composite material does not comprise an intervening surfacing layer between the co-cured polyurethane-based coating material layer and the co-cured epoxy-based coating material; and

wherein the co-cured epoxy-based composite material does not comprise an intervening primer layer between the co-cured polyurethane-based coating material layer and the co-cured epoxy-based composite material.

13. The co-cured epoxy-based composite material of claim 11 , wherein the co-cured polyurethane-based coating material layer has an electrical resistance value greater than 1000 kΩ.

14. A composite component comprising the co-cured epoxy-based composite material of claim 11 .

15. A vehicle comprising the composite component of claim 14 , said vehicle selected from the group consisting of:

a manned aircraft, an unmanned aircraft, a manned spacecraft, an unmanned spacecraft, a manned rotorcraft, an unmanned rotorcraft, a manned terrestrial vehicle, an unmanned terrestrial vehicle; a manned surface water borne vehicle, an unmanned waterborne vehicle, a manned sub-surface water borne vehicle, a satellite, and combinations thereof.

16. A method comprising:

applying a co-curable polyurethane-based coating layer directly to a co-curable epoxy-based composite material;

forming a co-curable polyurethane-coated epoxy-based composite material, said co-curable polyurethane-based coating layer comprising:

a UV-stabilizer agent; and

a curing control agent;

wherein the co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer at a thickness ranging from about 2 mils to about 3 mils comprises a UV transmittance value of 0% over a UV wavelength range of from about 200 nm to about 800 nm and comprises a Tg ranging from about 50° F. to about 250° F.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein in the step of applying the polyurethane-based coating material layer to the co-curable epoxy-based composite material, further comprising:

applying the co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer as a film.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising;

applying at least one tack material layer onto at least one of:

the co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer and the co-curable epoxy-based composite material.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

applying at least one scrim layer onto at least one of: the co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer and the co-curable epoxy-based composite material.

20. A method of forming a co-cured epoxy-based composite material comprising:

providing a co-curable epoxy-based composite material coated with a co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer, said co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer comprising:

a UV-inhibiting agent;

a curing control agent; and

co-curing the co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer and the co-curable epoxy-based composite material at a co-curing temperature ranging from about 250° F. to about 370° F. to form a co-cured polyurethane-coated epoxy-based composite material;

wherein the co-curable polyurethane-based coating material layer at a thickness ranging from about 2 mils to about 3 mils comprises a UV transmittance value of 0% over a UV wavelength range of from about 200 nm to about 800 nm and comprises a Tg ranging from about 50° F. to about 250° F.