Protective Nanocrystalline

In Phase II of this STTR program, QuesTek Innovations LLC (QuesTek) aims to further develop a nanocrystalline coating technology for high-pressure fuel pump components, ensuring consistent low friction and wear. QuesTek will collaborate with Profs. Yip-Wah Chung and Q. Jane Wang from Northwestern University (NU) and Prof. Chris Schuh and Dr. Robert Hilty from Xtalic Corporation (Xtalic). This team will combine QuesTekÆs computational materials design technology with experimental prototyping and testing at NU and Xtalic. Woodward Inc. (Woodward), a fuel pumps manufacturer, will serve as an independent vendor for component-level demonstrations. During Phase II, the team will leverage the efforts in Phase I to improve the nanocrystalline coating technology by optimizing the composition and coating processing, and applying it to complex parts in engine fuel systems with real component-level tests. Using QuesTekÆs computational materials design technology, the coating composition and thickness will be optimized for better tribofilm formation while further improving the coatingÆs mechanical properties and maintaining its thermal stability. With the coating composition fully optimized, PVD-based coating process optimization will occur subsequently at NU. Meanwhile, Xtalic will implement their proprietary electrodeposition process for depositing the identified coating composition to develop an efficient and cost-effective coating application process on complex parts with internal surfaces. Both PVD-based and electrodeposited coatings will be validated through lab-scale tribotesting and characterization by electron microscopy. This Phase II program will culminate with a team effort to deposit the coating onto the fuel pump component provided by the independent vendor Woodward with their service of component-level tests for lubricity and wear-resistance performance and characterization, to demonstrate the tribofilm formation, better lubricity, and lower friction/wear produced by the nanocrystalline coating technology. A successful program will generate a novel technology that utilizes nanocrystalline coating to enable consistent and superior wear performance in fuel pump components using F-24 at high pressure. Throughout this program, the QuesTek-NU-Xtalic team will work closely with subject matter experts at the Army, OEMs, and end-users to design, develop and validate this nanocrystalline coating technology for high-pressure fuel pump components using F-24. Ā???????