SBIR Phase I: Sputtered Quasicrystalline Films: A Commercial Breakthrough

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop low friction, wear resistant coatings of the Al-Cu-Fe quasicrystalline (QC) phase. QC coatings appear to be especially suited for anti-seize, anti-fretting applications for both fixed interfaces subjected to vibration or long duration exposures to hostile ambients that include intermittent vibration. These qualities of QC films are believed to be a result of the unusually low surface energies for these structures. The overall program objective is to demonstrate the low friction and wear resistive properties of dense, high quality, magnetron sputtered Al-Cu-Fe icosahedral, quasicrystalline thin films. Magnetron sputtering of QC films will be conducted from thermal shock resistant targets, manufactured from a new proprietary technique developed by TA&T. Coefficient of Friction, wear resistance, surface energy, phase content, and stoichiometry of the films will be measured and correlated with DSC measurements and sputtering and annealing parameters. The ability of QC coatings to resist chemical changes, fretting and sliding wear while maintaining low surface energy (non-adhesive) characteristics could make them ideal coatings for a variety of commercial and military applications