SBIR Phase I: Functionally Graded and Nanostructured Thermal Protection Coatings

这项研究的目的是将静电自组装技术应用于构建具有耐热性、隔热性和阻氧性、耐热腐蚀性和耐磨性、疲劳寿命、耐不利涂层/基材相互作用、热膨胀失配效应、结合能力和高温机械性能的混杂、功能梯度陶瓷纳米复合材料。静电自组装提供了强大而实用的手段，将各种纳米尺寸的陶瓷(和其他)成分(纳米管、纳米纤维、纳米小片和纳米颗粒)加工成高度致密的纳米层，这些纳米层在烧结时产生近完美结构的致密纳米层复合材料，这些纳米层具有功能梯度，以满足对热障涂层性能的多方面要求。具有功能梯度纳米结构的自组装涂层将进行测试，以验证静电自组装作为一种实用方法的优点，用于控制和彻底地将纳米组分集成到近完美的、功能梯度的纳米复合材料中。实验工作还将验证，自组装纳米层复合材料补充了与纳米级成分近乎完美的结构相关的巨大性能属性，以及纳米层复合材料中纳米间隔界面带来的热机械和阻挡性能的提高。从商业角度来看，静电自组装比替代涂层技术具有重大的经济、环境和能源优势。这种新型的纳米结构、功能梯度涂层还可以量身定做，以满足防腐和耐磨领域更广泛的要求。为了满足燃气轮机、固体火箭喷管、再入飞行器和许多其他应用中日益严格的要求，迫切需要具有显著增强的性能属性的热障涂层。这些应用中的新兴设计通常涉及进一步提高温度以提高性能和效率；需要突破性的技术发展来满足未来系统日益苛刻的使用环境中对热保护系统的需求。

The research aims to tailor the electrostatic self-assembly technique towards buildup of hybrid, functionally graded ceramic nanocomposites with unique combinations of heat resistance, thermal insulation and oxygen barrier qualities, hot-corrosion and erosion resistance, fatigue life, resistance to adverse coating/substrate interaction, thermal expansion mismatch effects, adhesion capacity, and high-temperature mechanical performance. Electrostatic self-assembly offers powerful and practical means of processing diverse nanosize ceramic (and other) constituents (nanotubes, nanofibers, nanoplatelets and nanoparticles) into highly compact nanolayers which, upon sintering, yield dense nanolayered composites of near-perfect structure, that are functionally graded to meet the multi-faceted demands on various aspects of thermal barrier coating performance The self-assembled coatings with functionally graded nanostructures will be tested in order to validate the merits of electrostatic self-assembly as a practical approach for controlled and thorough integration of nanosize constituents into near-perfect, functionally graded nanocomposites. The experimental effort will also verify that self-assembled nanolayered composites complement the tremendous performance attributes associated with the near-perfect structure of nanosize constituents with the gains in thermomechanical and barrier qualities brought about by nano-spaced interfaces in nanolayered composites.Commercially, electrostatic self-assembly offers major economic, environmental and energy advantages over alternative coating techniques. The new class of nanostructured, functionally graded coatings can also be tailored to meet broader requirements in the fields of corrosion protection and wear resistance. Thermal barrier coatings with substantially enhanced performance attributes are critically needed to meet the increasingly stringent requirements in gas turbines, solid rocket nozzles, reentry vehicles, and many other applications. The emerging designs in these applications generally involve further temperature rise for enhanced performance and efficiency; breakthrough technological developments are needed to meet the demands on thermal protection systems in the increasingly severe service environments of future systems.