Erosion Resistant Plasma Spray Coatings for HTPMC Applications

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I Project objective is to develop an erosion resistant coating system on HTPMC (High Temperature Polymer Matrix Composite) substrates. HTPMC's have tremendous potential to reduce the weight and cost of military aircraft turbine engines if their durability in service environments can be demonstrated. High temperature and the impact of erosive particles combined with the presence of oxidizing environments pose severe operating conditions for aircraft turbine engines. Although prior research has shown that metallic or ceramic coatings prevent oxidation, there remains a need for erosion-resistant coatings that protect PMC's from high-velocity particulates in the engine flow path and are suitable for use in hot engine fan cases or second stage stator components with service temperatures of up to 600 - 650°F. This research effort is to develop affordable coating systems (materials and processes) that are compatible with candidate HTPMCs.