ECI News
Described below are brief summaries of some of the coating projects that ECI has been involved with during its brief existence.
Corrosion and Wear Resistant Coatings
Current Air Force Phase I SBIR program to develop thin-film coatings that offer corrosion resistance to lubricant degradation and wear resistance to high-load contacts for gear and bearing components. Coating systems being investigated include metal/carbide reinforced diamondlike carbon and cermets. Emphasis of Air Force program is to increase compatibility with advanced lubricants designed for high-temperature service in mechanical assemblies of aircraft.
Hard Coatings with Solid Lubricant Additives
Current Navy Phase II SBIR program to develop hard ceramic matrix coatings which contain solid lubricant materials. Goal is to reduce coefficient of friction (COF) and increase fretting, galling resistance. Emphasis of Navy program is to increase interface compatibility between aluminum and steel surfaces in contact. Also investigated toughness and tribological performance of solid lubricant & metal co-deposited films.
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement(CRADA)
CRADA with AFRL Materials & Manufacturing Directorate to explore commercialization of new nanocrystalline solid lubricant coatings. This film family can be tailored to offer a range of microstructures (e.g., diamondlike carbon and TiC), mechanical (e.g., hardness, modulus) and tribological (e.g., COF) properties for specific applications. Functionally graded film microstructures can be fabricated that offer a unique combination of a toughened core beneath a low-friction, high hardness surface.
Cermet Coatings
Under a DOE-ETAP program, ECI along with CSM-ACSEL, investigated combining hard, wear resistant ceramics (e.g., boron carbide, titanium carbide, titanium diboride, and silicon carbide) with tough metals (e.g., molybdenum, titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al)) to produce durable ceramic-metal (cermet) coatings. These cermet coatings exhibit improved toughness and cracking resistance compared to pure, relatively brittle ceramics.
Laser Crystallization of Quasicrystalline (QC) Coatings
NSF Phase I program (Phase II pending) to investigate laser and arc-lamp processing methods to crystallize amorphous sputter-deposited QC coatings on conventional low-temperature-capable substrates (e.g., Al alloys, Ti alloys, bearing/gear steels). Al-Cu-Fe-Cr quasicrystalline coatings exhibit thermal insulation behavior, high hardness, and low friction, but require a high-temperature (e.g., 700C) anneal to form. Pulsed laser surface treatment was successful in crystallizing the amorphous coatings on conventional engineering alloys and reducing the coefficient of friction by 25-40%.
Solid Solution Metal Coatings
Investigated co-deposited amorphous Al – refractory metal coatings as candidate replacements for conventional corrosion resistance coatings (e.g., chrome plate)
Engineered Coatings, Inc.
P.O. Box 4702
Parker, CO 80134-4702
Ph: 303-593-0588
Fx: 303-593-0588
Email: info@eciwear-corrosioncoatings.com
