Testing Hardide CVD coating performance under high level of dynamic/cyclic deformation

钨/碳化钨（W/WC）涂层广泛应用于工程系统的设计，以承受高静态和循环载荷条件。了解涂层的极限对于帮助设计最优涂层是必要的，这将适用于需要高弯曲变形和抗疲劳的高度关键应用。该项目将重点测试通过化学气相沉积（CVD）在高静态和循环载荷下沉积的W/WC涂层，并确定关键涂层特性对其在氢气和发电行业苛刻应用中的性能的影响。采用仪器四点弯曲试验来研究涂层的断裂机制，测量断裂极限，并测试几种方法来优化涂层在高静态和动态载荷下的性能。参与解决这一技术挑战的项目团队包括Hardide plc，这家中小企业率先开发了CVD纳米结构W/WC涂层，现在被空客和其他蓝筹工业客户以及英国国家物理实验室（NPL）使用。Hardide和NPL将结合他们在涂层沉积，机械测试和材料特性方面的专业知识，研究涂层在高静态和循环载荷条件下的行为。

Tungsten/Tungsten Carbide (W/WC) coatings are widely employed in the design of engineering systems to withstand high static and cyclic loading conditions. Understanding the limits of the coating is necessary to help design optimal coatings which would be suitable for highly critical applications necessitating high flexural deformation and fatigue resistance. The project will focus on testing the W/WC coatings deposited through Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) under high static and cyclic loads and identifying the impact of key coating characteristics on its performance in demanding applications for the Hydrogen and power generation sectors. Instrumented four-point-bend tests will be employed to study the coating fracture mechanism, measure the fracture limits and test several approaches to optimise the coating performance under high static and dynamic loads.The project team involved in addressing this technical challenge includes Hardide plc, an SME which pioneered the CVD nanostructured W/WC coatings now used by Airbus and other blue chip industrial customers and the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the UK's National Measurement Institute. Together Hardide and NPL will combine their expertise in coating deposition, mechanical testing, and material characterisation to study the behaviour of the coatings when subjected to high static and cyclic loading conditions.