Functionally Graded Coatings for Enhanced Oxidation Resistance of Sharp Hypersonic Leading Edges

Faraday Technology, and partners, are developing an approach to apply oxidation resistant, functionally graded coatings to additively manufactured components. Phase I feasibility data showed that this coating increased the melting point and inhibited oxidative erosion compared to an uncoated additively manufactured substrates, when subjected to MidJet and Laser Steam, and Load testing. Phase II will demonstrate material properties of oxidation and thermal resistance at the Plasmatron X test facility at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and develop a model to extend those performance results to an operational environment. When successful, we will identify target components and prepare a manufacturing plan to build, coat, and deliver additively manufactured components to the MDA and our OEM partners. The application process under development is scalable, and amenable to industrial implementation. We anticipate working closely with hypersonic system integrators and MDA to provide testing evidence that the coatings can improve performance at target test facilities. We will demonstrate the flexibility of the coating process to enable application onto any complex metallic structure. Approved for Public Release | 25-MDA-12052 (27 Mar 25)