SBIR Phase I: Nickel-Tungsten-Carbon/Fullerene Coating with Superior Performance for Aerospace Applications

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to develop a Nickel-Boron-Tungsten-Carbon Fullerene coating which will promote safety in aerospace applications, which enable essential travel and logistics services for society. Aerospace systems require coatings that protect them against the harsh conditions they typically operate in. This project’s coating is expected to improve durability of products, which means they will last longer, be more safe/reliable, and require less maintenance. This new environmentally safer plating process replaces harmful hexavalent chromium 6 plating, which is known for polluting air and water. Additionally, the coating can benefit cell phone infrastructure by improving antenna performance and it can protect planes and satellites from unwanted radiation. Finally, the coating technology will enhance air travel safety by providing corrosion resistance, preventing essential safety parts like brakes and hydraulic cylinders on landing gear from rusting or having other failures. This SBIR Phase I project aims to develop a coating based on boron nickel co-deposited with Tungsten, carbon fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and nano diamond that will withstand hypersonic environments to meet national level hypersonic vehicle goals. This development and expected performance is based on previous formulations that incorporated one or more of the above-mentioned materials. Prior formulations developed by the company such as nickel sulfate based electroless nickel and tungsten (Wolfram) co-deposit were tested for temperature resistance, hardness, coefficient of friction, and wear resistance, with exceptional results on non-aerospace components (heatsinks and hydraulic cylinders). That success is leading to development of incorporation of nano materials to achieve engineered characteristics for other use-cases. The key to success lies in the functionalization of the nanomaterials and incorporation into the base boron nickel bath without deleterious effects. Tungsten was selected for its high melting temperature, while boron and nano diamond were chosen for their high hardness value and wear resistance. Carbon fullerenes/nanotubes will improve lubricity, conductivity, heat transfer, mechanical strength, and ablative properties without increasing the weight of the deposit. Silicon Carbide may be incorporated to further increase heat resistance and durability. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.