SBIR Phase I: Self-healing Corrosion Protection Coatings to Enable Use of Magnesium in Automobiles

SBIR 第一阶段：自修复腐蚀防护涂层使镁能够在汽车中使用

• 批准号: 0740531
• 负责人: Amit Singhal
• 金额: $ 9.99万
• 依托单位: NEI CORPORATION
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-01-01 至 2008-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0740531&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Self; healing; Corrosion

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I aims to enable the widespread use of magnesium alloys in automobiles by developing a self-healing, chromate-free conversion coating for magnesium alloy components. The weight reduction associated with the use of magnesium will make automobiles more fuel-efficient and reduce CO2 emissions. A major impediment to the use of magnesium in automotive applications has been its high susceptibility to corrosion. Although chromate conversion coatings provide adequate corrosion inhibition, hexavalent chromium is a carcinogen. As a result, automotive manufacturers have resorted to using alternatives to chromate-based coatings. Commercial non-chrome pretreatments exhibit barrier properties, but do not provide adequate damage-response behavior, resulting in poor performance relative to chromate coatings. Hence, there is a need for a chrome-free pretreatment that displays damage-responsive corrosion behavior similar to that of chromates. The key innovation proposed in this research is the development of a novel non-chrome corrosion inhibiting pretreatment technology that is expected to impart self-healing behavior. If successful, it will set the stage for a phase II program, where tests will be conducted under simulated use conditions, leading to the fabrication and testing of prototype automotive components.The broader impact of this research will mainly be in the automotive applications, where the use of lighter-weight magnesium alloys (as compared to the currently used aluminum alloys) will help reduce CO2 emissions from the automobile exhaust. Currently some components (transmission housing and steering column) are made of magnesium alloys, but this research will permit the use of magnesium alloys for other components, such as engine blocks, gear boxes, clutch housing and engine cradle. This technology will also be applicable to aluminum alloys used in aerospace and underwater applications. The non-chromate technology will not only generate substantial revenue (estimated several million dollars) for the company, but will also help U.S. automotive manufacturers to provide lighter and more fuel-efficient cars for the overseas markets, especially in the European Union (EU). The work will be published in leading corrosion science journals and conferences, thereby providing new knowledge for the universities for the training and education of new, young engineers and scientists.

这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）的第一阶段旨在通过开发一种用于镁合金部件的自修复、无铬转化涂层，使镁合金在汽车中的广泛应用。使用镁所带来的重量减轻将使汽车更省油，并减少二氧化碳的排放。在汽车应用中使用镁的一个主要障碍是它对腐蚀的高敏感性。虽然铬酸盐转化涂层具有足够的缓蚀性，但六价铬是一种致癌物。因此，汽车制造商已经开始使用铬基涂料的替代品。商业的非铬预处理表现出屏障性能，但不能提供足够的损伤响应行为，导致相对于铬酸盐涂层的性能较差。因此，需要一种无铬预处理，以显示类似于铬酸盐的损伤响应腐蚀行为。本研究提出的关键创新是开发一种新的非铬抑制腐蚀预处理技术，该技术有望赋予自修复行为。如果成功，它将为第二阶段计划奠定基础，在第二阶段，测试将在模拟使用条件下进行，从而制造和测试原型汽车部件。这项研究的广泛影响将主要在汽车应用方面，其中使用重量更轻的镁合金（与目前使用的铝合金相比）将有助于减少汽车尾气中的二氧化碳排放。目前，一些部件（变速器外壳和转向柱）是由镁合金制成的，但这项研究将允许在其他部件上使用镁合金，如发动机缸体、齿轮箱、离合器外壳和发动机支架。这项技术也将适用于用于航空航天和水下应用的铝合金。非铬酸盐技术不仅将为公司带来可观的收入（估计数百万美元），而且还将帮助美国汽车制造商为海外市场，特别是欧盟市场提供更轻、更节能的汽车。这项工作将发表在主要的腐蚀科学期刊和会议上，从而为大学培训和教育新的年轻工程师和科学家提供新的知识。