SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project's overall objective is to provide oxide coatings that resist deterioration in a high temperature oxidizing environment. A new, innovative process is proposed that should form strongly adherent, high temperature, oxidation resistant coatings on steel alloys, iron and nickel superalloys, aluminides, and superalloy matrix composites. Using this process, the firm has produced two protective coatings, with coating-to substrate bond strength that has been measured to be in excess of 7.3 kgf/mm2 (over 10,000 psi), and which have been formed on three different aluminum containing alloy substrates. Full testing to evaluate the integrity of these coatings will be performed in Phase I. Planned Phase II work will continue that and include lifetime testing of the coatings in cyclic and static, high temperature oxidizing environments. These coatings have broad application in industry throughout the nation. Products that utilize the firm's coatings, can achieve longer lifetimes because of the surface protection provided by the coatings. Such longer product lifetimes translate directly to user dollar savings that would yield both national economic benefits and create products that are more competitive in foreign markets.

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project's objective is to provide oxide coatings that resist deterioration in a high-temperature oxidizing environment. A new, innovative process is will be developed that should form strongly-adherent, high-temperature, oxidation resistant coatings on steel alloys, iron and nickel superalloys, aluminides, and superalloy matrix composites. Using this process in Phase I, Alger Stirling Company (ASC) alpha-Al2O3 as well as ASC alpha-Al2O3/Ti2O3 protective coatings, whose coating-to-substrate bond strength was measured to be in excess of 10,000 psi, were formed on six different aluminum-containing and aluminum-and-titanium-containing alloy substrates. Phase II testing (1) will optimize oxide thickness to provide maximum oxide/substrate bond strength, and (2) perform lifetime testing of the oxidized specimens in a high-temperature oxidizing environment. These coatings have broad application in industry throughout the nation. Products that utilize the ASC coatings can achieve longer lifetimes because of the surface protection provided by the coatings. Such longer lifetime translate directly to user dollar savings that are, first of all, a benefit to the entire nation and, second, make the products more competitive in foreign markets.