Substrates coated with wear resistant layers and methods of applying wear resistant layers to same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10441968-B2
Application number	US-201514814124-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2015
Priority date	Aug 24, 2011
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

Components with improved erosion resistance are disclosed. A surface of the component or a substrate of the component is modified by coating the substrate with an elastomer layer. The elastomer layer is then modified by embedding hard particles onto an outer side of the elastomer layer. The hard particles exhibit higher fractured toughness providing enhanced erosion protection. The elastic properties of the elastomer experience little reduction because the surface embedded particles are located only at the outer side or outer surface of the elastomer layer. Therefore, the bond between the inner side of the elastomer layer and the substrate or component surface is not interfered with and the potential for electro-chemical corrosion and poor adhesion are not increased by the presence of the hard particles as the hard particles are located away from the inner face between the elastomer layer and the substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of providing erosion resistance to a substrate by coating the substrate with at least one elastomer layer and controlling the surface energy of an exposed surface of the at least one elastomer layer, the method consisting of:
coating at least a portion of the substrate with at least one elastomer layer, the at least one elastomer layer including an inner side that engages the substrate and an outer side disposed opposite the at least one elastomer layer from the inner side, wherein the substrate comprises an airfoil;
partially curing the at least one elastomer layer; and
applying the particles selected from the group consisting of alumina, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron carbide, tungsten carbide, steel alloys, nickel alloys, diamond, chromium carbide, mullite, zirconia, yttria-stabilized zirconia, magnesium-stabilized zirconia and combinations thereof and having a diameter of 5 to 3000 microns to the partially-cured at least one elastomer layer so the particles embed into the outer side of the elastomer layer but do not pass through the elastomer layer to an inner side of the elastomer layer and at least a portion of the particles are partially embedded.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the particles are sprayed onto the partially-cured at least one elastomer layer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the particles are applied to the partially-cured at least one elastomer layer by placing a screen over the partially-cured at least one elastomer layer and pressing the particles through the screen to the partially-cured at least one elastomer layer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the partially-cured at least one elastomer layer includes a first layer that engages the substrate and a second layer disposed on the first layer and opposite the first layer from the substrate.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the applying of the particles to the partially-cured at least one elastomer layer includes pressing the particles onto the outer side of the partially-cured at least one elastomer layer.

6. A method of applying an elastomer to a leading edge of an airfoil, consisting of:
coating the leading edge of the airfoil with a first uncured elastomeric material;
curing the first uncured elastomeric material to form a cured elastomeric layer, the cured elastomeric layer having an inner surface coupled to the leading edge of the airfoil;
coating the cured elastomeric layer with a second elastomeric material, the second elastomeric material having an outer surface disposed opposite the inner surface; and
embedding hard particles selected from the group consisting of alumina, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron carbide, tungsten carbide, steel alloys, nickel alloys, diamond, chromium carbide, mullite, zirconia, yttria-stabilized zirconia, magnesium-stabilized zirconia and combinations thereof and having a diameter of 5 to 3000 microns into the outer surface.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the second elastomeric material is the same as the first uncured elastomeric material.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the second elastomeric material is different than the first uncured elastomeric material.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first uncured elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyureas, silicones, silicone rubbers, fluoropolymers, natural rubber, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, chlorinated polyethylene, ethylene octene copolymers and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyureas, silicones, silicone rubbers, fluoropolymers, natural rubber, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, chlorinated polyethylene, ethylene octene copolymers and combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the hard particles have a diameter of to 100 to 1000 microns.

12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the hard particles have a diameter of 500 to 800 microns.

13. A method of coating an airfoil, consisting of:
applying an elastomer to a surface of the airfoil to form an elastomeric layer, the elastomeric layer including an inner surface attached to the surface of the airfoil and an outer surface disposed opposite the inner surface;
entrenching hard particles selected from the group consisting of alumina, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron carbide, tungsten carbide, steel alloys, nickel alloys, diamond, chromium carbide, mullite, zirconia, yttria-stabilized zirconia, magnesium-stabilized zirconia and combinations thereof and having a diameter of 5 to 3000 microns into the outer surface; and
curing the elastomeric layer to form a matrix.

14. The method of coating an airfoil according to claim 13 , wherein the hard particles have an aspect ratio of one to twenty.

15. The method of coating an airfoil according to claim 13 , wherein the hard particles have an aspect ratio of 1 to 5.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Barth Robert A
• Schmidt Wayde R

Classifications

• B05D2490/50

  compositions varying with a gradient perpendicular to the surface · CPC title

• B05D2425/01

  top layer/ last layer, i.e. first layer from the top surface · CPC title

• B05D7/54

  No clear coat specified · CPC title

• B05D2601/20

  used for non-pigmentation effect · CPC title

• B05D5/00 Primary

  Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces to obtain special surface effects, finishes or structures · CPC title