Computational Design and Development of Advanced Stainless Steel for Aircraft Engine and Lift Fan Gearbox Bearings

High-performance, stainless bearing steel is needed to achieve long life and efficient operation of aerospace drive system turbine machinery operating in a corrosive environment. Available aerospace gear alloys such as Pyrowear 53, 9310, and Ferrium C64 are not corrosion resistant. Other options may also provide some level of corrosion resistance, such as in Pyrowear 675, but, ultimately, corrosion resistance is compromised due to suboptimal case carburized microstructure and low matrix chromium content. Prior developments to optimize bearing alloy composition and processing have been primarily empirical, an approach that yields diminishing returns when analyzing these complex material systems. QuesTek Innovations LLC proposes to computationally design and develop a stainless bearing steel. Property and processing requirements will be defined in collaboration with OEM drive system experts, steel foundry metallurgists, and Navy technical experts. The rapid alloy design will leverage QuesTek"s Materials by Design approach and proprietary materials models to design for corrosion and contact fatigue resistance. Technical feasibility will be demonstrated in the Phase I program with hardness and corrosion testing of solution nitrided sub-scale and laboratory scale prototypes. During the Phase II program, the manufacturing will be scaled up in collaboration with end-users and manufacturing partners to accelerate the technology adoption.