CompoSurf Coating Technology for Increased Functionality of Composite Materials
Status: Completed
Date Announced: July, 2011
Project reference: 23284
The use of composites as structural components is increasing due to good strength to weight ratios, electrical insulation properties, resistance to corrosion, increased fatigue lifetimes and ease of use. There are many types and forms of composites that have evolved over the years including glass, carbon and Kevlar® reinforced materials. However their limited surface properties prevent their use in applications where thermal management is required such as aeroengines. TWI has developed an advanced coating technology (CompoSurf™), employing thermal spraying processes, which offers increased functionality of composite materials.
This project evaluated the CompoSurf™ technology for selected potential industrial applications. Work at TWI has shown that by careful control of the selection of spraying process, surface preparation, coating consumables and substrate materials, well-adhered coatings can be produced. A new approach has enabled the deposition of metallic coatings to thicknesses in excess of one millimetre and the development of coatings for thermal management. To expand the range of potential applications and bring the technology to higher technology readiness levels (TRLs), work has been undertaken to improve the understanding of materials selection, spraying process and parameter selection to produce coatings for more extreme environments. This work is of benefit to OEMs, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers.