Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Engine Optimization

NanoCoatings, Inc. (NCI) and our non-profit team member, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), propose a complete in-cylinder engine enhancement for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) multi-fuel engines.  NCI will demonstrate a novel high-voltage anodize process, termed Plasma-Electrolytic-Oxidation (PEO) with specific solid-lubricant nanoparticle additives (e.g., graphite or MoS2), on cast-Al alloy cylinder material to significantly reduce friction and wear.  Coupled with this unique NCI PEO processing method, SwRI will apply their high Technology Readiness Level (TRL 5-6) Plasma-Enhanced Magnetron Sputtered (PEMS) nanocoating (e.g., TiSiCN and diamondlike carbon (DLC)) to piston ring material.  This combination of a PEO-treated solid-lubricant Al-alloy cylinder material with a mature PEMS nanocoating on piston ring material, will result in a low-friction and wear-resistant cylinder-ring contact interface. Benefits will include protection against intermittent lubrication, an increase in the time-between-overhauls, and reduced system cost.  Application of a thicker PEO-coating and a thicker PEMS nanocoating, may enable oil-less engine operation, thereby reducing maintenance costs and increasing system reliability. Characterization and testing of the coated coupons will include coating thickness verification, surface-roughness measurements, coating-morphology evaluations, and screening friction-wear tribological tests to enable down-selection to one of the mature SwRI coatings (DLC or TiSiCN) for contact with the PEO-converted Al-Si material.  This will enable a selection of the best ring-coating and cylinder coating for further testing (e.g., PLINT ring-section vs. cylinder section AND engine-testing) and characterization in Phase II.  Coordination with a major UAV engine-manufacturer, Northwest UAV, will be performed early in Phase I, to obtain engine component requirements, e.g., specific materials selection, dimensional tolerances, surface finish, expected operating conditions, etc..  This unique PEO manufacturing technology has application to numerous DoD needs, including replacement of toxic hard Chrome plate for corrosion protection of critical hardware, ablative-liners for gun-barrel life extension, and rotorcraft sliding-seat hardware interfaces.