SBIR Phase I: Electroplating of Tribocoatings Containing Nanophase WC/Co Particles

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将证明开发一种独特的、具有成本效益的低摩擦/低磨损摩擦涂层的可行性。 这将使用电解共沉积工艺来实现，该工艺采用在标准氨基磺酸镍或氨基磺酸钴浴中的纳米相WC/Co的胶体溶液。这一点以前没有得到证明。 目前的努力是针对航空航天和发电燃气涡轮机发动机的金属密封件和气动管道部件，以及高性能汽车气缸和活塞环，以降低寿命周期成本。 该涂层预计将包含在镍或钴基体中的极细分散的化学键合纳米相WC颗粒，这将提供低摩擦/低磨损的独特组合。 与硬Chrome不同，这种涂层工艺是环境友好的，并且容易与当前操作集成，从而促进其商业化。 该工艺还将产生具有上级表面光洁度和厚度均匀性的近净形涂层。 这些涂层将需要很少或不需要机械抛光，因此，导致降低整体部件成本。胶体纳米粒子和电解槽的选择灵活性将为新的表面工程工具提供可能。 这有可能填补热喷涂和气相沉积涂层之间的差距，并有更广泛的应用国家利益。商业潜力的拟议技术包括：航空航天和发电金属密封件，气动管道，高性能汽车气缸衬套和活塞环，轴承，和其他摩擦表面。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of developing a unique, cost-effective and low-friction/low-wear tribological coating. This will be accomplished using an electrolytic codeposition process employing a colloidal solution of nanophase WC/Co in a standard nickel or cobalt sulphamate bath. This has not been demonstrated previously. The current effort is directed toward metallic seals and pneumatic ducting components for aerospace and power generation gas turbine engines, and high performance automobile cylinders and piston rings to reduce life-cycle costs. The coating is expected to contain an extremely fine dispersion of metallurgically bonded nanophase WC particles in a nickel or cobalt matrix, which will offer a unique combination of low friction/low wear. Unlike hard chrome, this coating process is environmentally friendly and easily integrated within current operations, thereby facilitating its commercialization. The process will also generate near-net shape coatings with superior surface finish and thickness uniformity. These coatings will require little or no mechanical polishing, therefore, resulting in reducing the overall component cost. The selection flexibility of colloidal nanophase particles and electrolytic bathes will offer the possibility of a new surface engineering tool. This has the potential of filling the gap between thermal spray and vapor deposited coatings and have broader applications of national interest.Commercial potential of the proposed technology includes: aerospace and power generation metallic seals, pneumatic ducting, high performance automotive cylinder linings and piston rings, bearings, and other tribological surfaces.