Volume 11, Number 2 • Summer 2003 • Moving Forward

Technology Opportunity Showcase highlights some unique technologies that NASA has developed and which we believe have strong potential for commercial application. While the descriptions provided here are brief, they should provide enough information to communicate the potential applications of the technology. For more detailed information, contact the person listed. Please mention that you read about it in Innovation.

Graded Coatings

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is seeking companies to license and develop graded coatings for commercial applications.

Marshall has developed a novel method of manufacturing and coating high-performance engine components to withstand violent combustion environments in which intense temperature and pressure could damage parts. The method relies on vacuum plasma spray (VPS) and other thermal spray techniques to produce parts for applications in which several materials are combined to meet demanding fabrication and performance requirements.

The technology can be used to form and coat parts that are associated with aerospace, automotive and commercial engines. Aerospace applications include forming or coating rocket engine combustion chambers and nozzles, as well as turbine vanes and combustors. The application can be utilized by the automotive industry for coating pistons, cylinder heads, valves and exhaust manifolds in diesel and high-performance engines. Potential commercial engine uses include industrial gas turbines, incinerators, furnaces and heat exchangers.

The technology promises to extend the life of high-performance parts. The method lowers operating temperatures; enhances resistance to thermal corrosion, oxidation and abrasion; and increases strength lubricity, bonding and/or ductility.

NASA uses the technique to combine two materials that together provide the desired properties for a rocket engine combustion chamber—good thermal conductance and resistance to thermal corrosion and oxidation. In this application, a protective nickel alloy coating protects a copper alloy combustion chamber lining. As a result of using the new method, NASA has been able to avoid previous problems with the coating blistering and separating under intense heat loads.

The method is being used at NASA to make small and large developmental engine parts. To date, NASA has formed coatings from Ni-, Cu-, ferrous- and ceramic-based material. Parts made using the method have been exposed to temperatures in excess of 3,500 to 5,000 °F and to pressures ranging from 500 to 3,000 psi. Depending on material selection, the resulting wall temperatures range from 1,000 to 1,700 °F. Q

For more information, contact Sammy Nabors at 256/544-5226, e-mail sammy.nabors@nasa.gov. Please mention you read about it in Innovation.