Medium Caliber Gun Barrel Bore Coatings

Integran Technologies USA Inc.(Pittsburgh, PA) is pleased to provide this proposal in response to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Request for Proposal (RFP) (#AF06-350) “Medium Caliber Gun Barrel Bore Coatings”. A materials technology development, optimization and evaluation program is proposed, based upon previous proprietary developments by the applicants in the area of cost-effective electro-synthesis of nanocrystalline metals, alloys and composites. The objective is to develop environmentally benign, cost effective, multi-functional nanostructured metal matrix composite (MMC) coatings for specific application to medium caliber weapons. The proposed program builds upon results from a recently completed DoD SERDP Project PP-1152, “Electroformed Nanocrystalline Coatings: An Advanced Alternative to Hard Chrome Electroplating”, in which cobalt-based nanoscale alloys were developed and demonstrated to meet and/or exceed the performance characteristics of hard chromium. The proposed program also benefits from two on-going research and development programs: (a) DoD ESTCP Project PP-0411, “Nanocrystalline Cobalt Alloy Plating for Replacement of Hard Chrome and Thin Dense Chrome (TDC) on Internal Surfaces”, in which the nanoscale cobalt alloy coating is being demonstrated and validated at the Naval Aviation Depot in Jacksonville, Florida (NADEP-JAX), and (b) Technology Partnerships Canada: “Environmental Nanostructured Coatings for Aerospace and Defense” which provides R&D support for the development and commercialization of the nanoscale cobalt alloy technology in the Aerospace and Defense sectors. The proposed program deals with the development of an environmentally benign gun bore coating, which can meet or exceed the performance of hard chrome plating, which will utilize a novel, proprietary high- speed brush plating process which has been specifically developed to cost-effectively deposit nanoscale coatings on the ID surface of gun barrels. Nanocrystalline Cobalt – refractory metal alloys, and nano-composites containing hard ceramic particles (e.g., boron carbide, diamond, silicon carbide, tungsten carbide etc.) will be investigated. The program will involve material synthesis and material testing activities; the latter including: microstructure and mechanical property characterization (e.g., sliding and abrasive wear, hardness, ductility, adhesion and thermal cycling resistance etc.). Promising coating(s) identified in Phase I will be recommended for application to medium caliber gun barrel bores for field testing as part of Phase II activities. As a result of significant advances already made in related development initiatives (SERDP PP-1152 and ESTCP PP-0411), the program proposed herein is expected to have a high probability of success and is expected to lead to a cost-effective nanocrystalline-based coating technologies providing an environmentally benign coating that meets and/or exceeds the properties of current electroplated chromium coatings for the ID surface of medium caliber gun barrels. This program is expected to require nine (9) months for completion at a total cost of $100,000.