Nano-Phase Exothermically Formed Perovskite Ceramic Materials for TBC CMAS Penetration Protection
Navy SBIR FY2006.1


Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2006.1
Topic No.: N06-032
Topic Title: Nano-Phase Exothermically Formed Perovskite Ceramic Materials for TBC CMAS Penetration Protection
Proposal No.: N061-032-0481
Firm: Materials Resources International
811 W. Fifth Street
Unit 2
Lansdale, Pennsylvania 19446
Contact: Ronald Smith
Phone: (215) 631-7111
Web Site: www.materialsresources.com
Abstract: MRi will join with Exotherm and Plasma Processes, Inc to develop a 2-layered perovskite coating system for protecting TBC's from CMAS penetration and degradation. MRi will demonstrate the system and work with Pratt & Whitney to evaluate its suitability of these perovskite protective coatings in aircraft engines. The coating system that will be developed and tested consists of an outer layer that is a chemically resistant perovskite oxide ceramic layer deposited onto a second underlying, strain resistant layered "soft" perovskite oxide ceramic layer that can shear along atomic layers and deform without cracking. These special ceramic materials would be deposited on top of air plasma sprayed, 7YSZ TBCs. The perovskite ceramic materials would be made via an innovative nano-phase exothermic synthesis process to economically form the particulate materials that would be suitable for APS coatings. The outer non-layered perovskite ceramic would be selected from a group of ceramic perovskites that would provide a sacrificial oxide / non-wetting coating layer to the calcia, magnesia, alumina and silica compound referred to herein as CMAS. The Phase I project will initially focus on developing nano-phase exothermic synthesis processes then move to develop plasma sprayed perovskite top coats on base plasma sprayed TBC's. Materials and coatings will be characterized by metallographically, XRD and tested for CMAS penetration.
Benefits: Improved TBC protective coatings have wide application in aircraft engines, aero-structures, turbine engines, and chemical processing. The proposed technology, if proven successful, would permit improved military and eventfully commercial aircraft engines to be more fuel efficient by operating more consistently with lower maintenance costs due to longer lasting TBC's that do not spall. Such layered perovskite protective coatings should also be improve thermal protection systems used in power generation turbines and in chemical and glass manufacture, permitting more reliable, and possibly higher temperature operations.

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