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

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目将开发和商业化一种新的聚合物家族（芳香热固性共聚酯，或ATSP），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/涂层是提高耐磨性能和耐久性的关键。聚合物基涂料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，可以将ATSP加工成高效耐磨涂料。新材料的主要特点是：(1)在与聚四氟乙烯（PTFE）加工所需的温度下（350-450℃）具有热稳定性；(2)优异的摩擦学性能，所选成分的几个样品显示“零”磨损和低摩擦系数值，在测试过程中保持稳定-这两个都是长期磨损涂层的重要属性。其他优点是能够进行链间酯交换反应，允许磨损碎片重新进入涂层，并且与不锈钢和铸铁等金属具有良好的附着力。第二阶段的技术目标包括定制聚合物骨架以改善粉末/涂层性能，优化工业相关工艺的热喷涂参数，并进行内部和客户评估。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是实现新材料系列的潜力，这将为工业提供更低成本和更多功能的耐磨涂层。客户对显著提高制冷和空调压缩机摩擦副性能的创新有强烈的需求。最近针对这一特定细分市场的调查表明，与最先进的聚合物涂层相比，ATSP系统具有低摩擦系数和数量级磨损率降低的关键特点。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、泵和压缩机是常见设备，在美国能源需求中占很大份额，因此在更广阔的市场中存在机会，并可能产生重大的社会影响。ATSP在粘合剂、硬质泡沫、复合材料基质和微电子介质方面也表现出优异的性能，所有这些都表明了额外的潜在市场。

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.