Development of the next generation corrosion and wear-resistant coatings

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Low friction and wear resistant coatings are critical for increasing life cycles, lowering maintenance costs, and reduced environmental impact of engineering systems. This application outlines the need for purchase of a depth-sensing nanoindenter that will be used to evaluate new coatings developed for improved friction and wear performance. Two types of coatings will be examined: ultra-thin polymer-based nanocomposite coatings and boronized steel coatings covered with a thin layer of boron nitride. The depth-sensing nanoindenter will be used to examine the mechanical properties of these coatings, which is intrinsically linked with the wear resistance capabilities of the coatings. While friction performance is less clear, correlated measurements with tribometers (for friction performance evaluation), atomic force microscopy, and rheology will allow for interdisciplinary interpretation of the results, making the relationship between mechanical properties and material structure revealed through depth-sensing nanoindentation measurements more meaningful in applications. The proposed indenter will be housed in a collaborative laboratory within the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary, and be used in the training of highly qualified personnel throughout the school. Additionally, the proposed equipment will be used to bridge the gap between the evaluation of materials for industrial applications in heat exchanges, typically performed with tribometers, microindentation, and rheology, to the fundamental material structure-property relationships that can be accessed through nanoscale inquiry using atomic force microscopy, atomistic simulations, and electron microscopy, thus unifying both fundamental research and innovation arms of scientific investigation.