This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project proposes to develop a non-line-of-sight process for nanolamination of thick (> 1 mm) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) with both a) improved durability and b) reduced thermal conductivity. Diverse sectors including transportation, power generation, and oil & gas desire increased operating temperatures for improved efficiency and performance, but are limited in part by the high temperature behavior (e.g. creep, wear, and corrosion) of available materials of construction. One route to overcoming these limitations is through thermal barrier coatings, ceramic-based coatings which protect and insulate high temperature components thereby allowing higher operating temperatures. The insulating efficacy of a TBC improves with a) lower thermal conductivity (k) and b) greater coating thickness. Unfortunately, both emergent low-k ceramics and thicker TBCs result in reduced durability. Research indicates that both low-k and improved durability can be achieved through nanolamination; however, no process is currently capable of cost-competitive application of nanolaminated TBCs onto the complex geometries encountered in the above sectors. This project's objectives are therefore to apply our innovative electrochemical deposition process to develop nanolaminated ceramic-metal composites to achieve superior thermal barrier coating performance.
The market for thermal barrier coatings is over $3.75 billion, with these structures being used in a variety of market segments, including diesel and gas engines, aerospace and land based turbine engines, and aerospace structure applications. In addition to having a substantial impact in these sectors, the proposed technology, if successful, would have impact as an environmental protection and anti-corrosion coating, with concomitant benefits to the nation's infrastructure. This Phase I research plan includes collaborations with both Purdue University and the University of Washington (UW), and will help establish unrivaled flexibility for producing novel TTBC architectures, allowing researchers to customize thick TBC architectures for experimentally validating structure-property models and furthering the understanding of high temperature materials' constitutive behavior. Finally, this project will allow undergraduate science and engineering students from UW to participate in the project as interns. These internships will take advantage of the talent pool available at UW, in addition to providing a unique learning experience for the students themselves. Students will gain exposure to materials synthesis and testing methods, and will have the opportunity to substantially impact our ongoing research, development, and production efforts.
