Advanced tribological coating solutions for next generation mechanical systems in extreme environments

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The advancement of durable and high-performance energy generation technologies depends heavily on the development of materials that can withstand extreme environmental and contact conditions. Similarly, in the field of aerospace engineering, the conditions in which materials are expected to operate are becoming increasingly more challenging (e.g. higher temperature, increased velocities and contact pressures). Materials capable of operating efficiently under these conditions will help overcome many of the aerospace challenges ranging from improving durability of the aircraft and premature failure of the components to developing novel gas turbine engines. Building up on the industrial experience and previous research performed by the applicant, the program proposed here will critically evaluate wear resistant coatings for applications in extreme environments. The coatings will be tailored for specific temperature ranges and will be evaluated accordingly using advance in situ tribological techniques in order to elucidate the interfacial processes leading to the improved tribological behavior. The experimental results and analysis obtained throughout this program will be used to calibrate contact mechanics models and develop new design maps for wear resistant systems in extreme conditions, describing different mechanisms as a function of operating conditions. The major benefits of this work to the aerospace and energy generation community will be demonstrating proof of concept for these lubrication strategies as well as the identification of interfacial processes in extreme conditions. The work performed here will have a direct impact on company's ability to manufacture next generation tribological systems as well as on their coating selection process.