SBIR Phase II: Ultra-Low Wear Coatings Based on a Novel Family of Aromatic Thermosetting Copolyesters

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目将开发并商业化一系列新的聚合物(芳香族热固性共聚酯，或ATSP)，应用于空调和制冷压缩机的摩擦学表面。在广泛的应用中，表面处理/涂层是提高耐磨性和耐久性的关键。聚合物基涂层的主要优点是成本相对较低，基材表面处理简单。通过与聚四氟乙烯(PTFE)和其他添加剂混合，ATSP可以加工成高效耐磨涂层。这种新材料的主要特点是：(1)在聚四氟乙烯(PTFE)加工所需温度下的热稳定性(350-450℃。C)；(2)优异的摩擦学性能，几种选定的成分样品证明“零”磨损和在测试过程中保持稳定的低摩擦系数值--这两个属性都是长期磨损涂层的重要特征。其他优点是能够进行链间酯交换反应，允许磨屑重新结合到涂层中，以及与不锈钢和铸铁等金属的良好附着力。第二阶段的技术目标包括定制聚合物主干以改善粉末/涂层性能，优化这一工业相关工艺的热喷涂参数，并进行内部和基于客户的评估。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是实现一种新材料家族的潜力，这种新材料系列将允许更低的成本和更多功能的工业耐磨涂层。客户对显著改善制冷和空调压缩机中的摩擦空气性能的创新需求旺盛。最近对这一特定细分市场的调查表明，ATSP系统具有重要的优点：与最先进的聚合物涂层相比，摩擦系数低，磨损率降低了一个数量级。随着当前社会对能源效率的关注，人们越来越关注这样一个事实，即适当的涂层和表面处理是提高各种机械表面(轴承、密封件、涡轮机叶片等)效率的关键。因此，由于发动机、泵和压缩机是代表美国能源需求的重要份额的常见设备，因此在更广阔的市场中存在机会，具有重大社会影响的潜力。ATSP还在胶粘剂、硬质泡沫塑料、复合材料基质和微电子电介质方面表现出优异的性能，所有这些都预示着更多的潜在市场。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop and commercialize a new family of polymers (aromatic thermosetting copolyesters, or ATSP) for application to tribological surfaces for compressors used in air conditioning and refrigeration. Surface treatments/coatings are key to improving wear performance and durability in a wide range of applications. The main advantages of polymeric-based coatings are their relatively low cost and simple substrate surface conditioning. ATSP can be processed into highly effective wear-resistant coatings by blending with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and other additives. Key features of the new material are: (1) thermal stability at temperatures required to process with PTFE (350-450 deg. C); (2) excellent tribological properties, with several samples of selected compositions evidencing "zero" wear and low friction coefficient values that remained stable during testing - both important attributes for a long-term wear coating. Additional advantages are the ability to undergo interchain transesterification reactions, permitting reincorporation of wear debris into the coating, and good adhesion to metals such as stainless steel and cast iron. Technical objectives in the Phase II include tailoring the polymer backbone to improve powder/coating properties, optimizing thermal spray parameters for this industrially relevant process, and performing both in-house and customer-based evaluations.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the potential to realize a new materials family which will permit lower cost and more versatile wear coatings for industry. There is strong customer demand for innovations that significantly improve the performance of the tribopair in compressors for refrigeration and air conditioning. Recent investigation for this specific market segment has shown that the ATSP system exhibits the crucial features of merit: low friction coefficient and an order of magnitude reduction in wear rate compared to state-of-the-art polymeric coatings. With the current societal focus on energy efficiency, more attention is being given to the fact that proper coatings and surface treatments are key to increasing efficiency for a wide range of mechanical surfaces (bearings, seals, turbines blades, etc.). Thus, there are opportunities in the much broader market, with the potential for major societal impact, since engines, pumps, and compressors are common equipment that represent a significant share of U.S. energy demand. ATSP has also shown excellent performance in adhesives, rigid foams, matrices for composites, and dielectrics for microelectronics, all of which suggest additional potential markets.