The deposition of highly formable ceramic coatings on sheet metal by Ion Beam Assisted Deposition (IBAD) suggests that these coatings may ultimately supplant painting or anodizing in many roll-coating operations. The process has been used to synthesize alumina, zirconia, and boron nitride coatings on various substrates at temperatures a low as room temperature. This research effort will examine the ductility behavior of potentially superplastic IBAD coatings as they are affected by IBAD parameters (the parameters that govern formability). The work will be coordinated with vendors to assure that practicable processes capable of producing acceptable industrial coatings are developed.
