Method of depositing one or more layers of microspheres to form a thermal barrier coating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10214825-B2
Application number	US-201615394214-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2016
Priority date	Dec 29, 2016
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

A method of forming a thermal barrier coating onto a surface of a ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part involves depositing a layer of hollow microspheres to a surface of the component part or to a previously deposited layer of hollow microspheres through heating and cooling of a metallic precursor setting layer composed of copper, a copper alloy, or a nickel alloy. Once deposited in place, the layer(s) of hollow microspheres are heated to sinter the hollow microspheres to each other and to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part to form an insulating layer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of forming a thermal barrier coating on a metal component part, the method comprising:
adhering a metallic precursor setting layer onto a surface of a ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part, the metallic precursor setting layer being copper, a copper alloy, or a nickel alloy;
locating hollow microspheres against the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part so that the hollow microspheres contact the metallic precursor setting layer, the hollow microspheres having an outer layer of nickel, a nickel alloy, iron, or an iron alloy;
heating the metallic precursor setting layer to a temperature above the liquidus temperature of the metallic precursor setting layer to melt the metallic precursor setting layer and wet a layer of hollow microspheres located adjacent to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part;
cooling the metallic precursor setting layer to a temperature below the solidus temperature of the metallic precursor setting layer to solidify the metallic precursor setting layer and bond the layer of hollow microspheres to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part;
moving hollow microspheres that are not bonded by the metallic precursor setting layer away from the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part; and
heating the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part and the layer of hollow microspheres bonded to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part to sinter the hollow microspheres to each other and to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part such that a solid state joint is formed between the layer of hollow microspheres and the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part.

2. The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein at least some of the hollow microspheres include a hollow glass base wall coated externally with a layer of nickel, a nickel alloy, iron, or an iron alloy.

3. The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein at least some of the hollow microspheres include a hollow polymeric base wall coated externally with a layer of nickel, a nickel alloy, iron, or an iron alloy.

4. The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein at least some of the hollow microspheres include a hollow ceramic base wall coated externally with a layer of nickel, a nickel alloy, iron, or an iron alloy.

5. The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein heating the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part and the layer of hollow microspheres to sinter the hollow microspheres to each other and to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part comprises:
heating the layer of hollow microspheres and the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part to a temperature below the solidus temperature of the metallic precursor setting layer for a period of time at least until the metallic precursor setting layer dissolves into the outer layer of the hollow microspheres and the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part.

6. The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein, prior to heating the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part and the layer of hollow microspheres to sinter the hollow microspheres to each other and to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part, the method further comprises:
(a) adhering a second metallic precursor setting layer onto the layer of hollow microspheres bonded to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part, the second metallic precursor setting layer being copper, a copper alloy, or a nickel alloy;
(b) locating hollow microspheres against the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part so that the hollow microspheres contact the second metallic precursor setting layer overlying the layer of hollow microspheres bonded to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part, the hollow microspheres having an outer layer of nickel, a nickel alloy, iron, or an iron alloy;
(c) heating the second metallic precursor setting layer to a temperature above the liquidus temperature of the second metallic precursor setting layer to melt the second metallic precursor setting layer and wet a second layer of hollow microspheres located adjacent to the layer of hollow microspheres bonded to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part;
(d) cooling the second metallic precursor setting layer to a temperature below the solidus temperature of the second metallic precursor setting layer to solidify the second metallic precursor setting layer and bond the second layer of hollow microspheres to the layer of hollow microspheres bonded to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part; and
(e) moving hollow microspheres that are not bonded by the second metallic precursor setting layer away from the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part.

7. The method set forth in claim 6 , further comprising:
repeating steps (a) to (e) to sequentially deposit additional layers of hollow microspheres on top of the second layer of hollow microspheres.

8. The method set forth in claim 7 , wherein heating the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part and the layer of hollow microspheres to sinter the hollow microspheres to each other and to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part includes sintering all of the sequentially applied layers of hollow microspheres together and to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part.

9. The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein the metallic precursor setting layer has a thickness that ranges from 0.1 μm to 20 μm.

10. The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein the metallic precursor setting layer is copper.

11. The method set forth in claim 10 , wherein heating the metallic precursor setting layer to above the liquidus temperature comprises heating the metallic precursor setting layer to above 1085° C., wherein cooling the metallic precursor setting layer to below the solidus temperature comprises cooling the metallic precursor setting layer to below 1085° C., and wherein heating the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part and the layer of hollow microspheres to sinter the hollow microspheres to each other and to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part comprises heating the layer of hollow microspheres and the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part to a temperature in the range of 800° C. and 1085° C.

12. The method set forth in claim 1 , wherein the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part is an engine piston, an intake valve, an exhaust valve, an engine block, an engine head, an exhaust gas pipe, or a turbocharger housing.

13. A method of forming a thermal barrier coating on a metal component part, the method comprising:
depositing one or more layers of hollow microspheres onto a surface of a ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part, the hollow microspheres of each of the one or more layers having an outer layer of nickel, a nickel alloy, iron, or an iron alloy, and wherein each of the one or more layers of hollow microspheres is bonded to either the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part or to a previously deposited layer of hollow microspheres by a metallic precursor setting layer of copper, a copper alloy, or a nickel alloy;
heating the one or more layers of hollow microspheres and the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part to sinter the hollow microspheres to each other and to the surface of the ferrous alloy or nickel alloy component part to thereby produce an insulating layer; and
applying a gas-impermeable sealing layer over the insulating layer to form a thermal barrie

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Walker Michael J

Classifications

• C25D7/008 Primary

  Thermal barrier coatings · CPC title

• C23C24/10 Primary

  with intermediate formation of a liquid phase in the layer · CPC title

• C23C18/1635

  Composition of the substrate · CPC title

• C23C10/00

  Solid state diffusion of only metal elements or silicon into metallic material surfaces · CPC title

• C23C4/00

  Coating by spraying the coating material in the molten state, e.g. by flame, plasma or electric discharge (build-up welding B23K, e.g. B23K5/18, B23K9/04) · CPC title