Cold spray metallic coating and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11891700-B2
Application number	US-202217968602-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2022
Priority date	Jan 29, 2018
Publication date	Feb 6, 2024
Grant date	Feb 6, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a cold spray metal process for imparting electromagnetic interference (EMI) resistance or lightning protection to the surface of a polymer, and a polymer with surface EMI resistance, or lightning protection, articles coated therefrom, and methods of reducing or eliminating electrochemical interactions between the metallic coating and components of the polymer.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of reducing or eliminating at least one electrochemical interaction between a metallic coating and a polymer in a formed article, the method comprising:
introducing particles of a metal powder or metal alloy powder or a mixture of the metal powder and the metal alloy powder to a gas stream;
directing the gas stream toward an electrochemical insulating layer present on a surface of a polymer, wherein the gas stream has a temperature and a pressure adjusted to prevent thermal softening or ablation of the surface of the electrochemical insulating layer;
forming a metallic coating on at least a portion of the electrochemical insulating layer;
reducing or eliminating electrochemical interaction between the metallic coating and the polymer; and
introducing an additional metallic layer comprising niobium on at least a portion of the metallic coating using a cold spray process;
wherein the metal powder or the metal alloy powder comprises copper; and
wherein the metallic coating imparts electrical EMI resistance or lightning protection to the formed article.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal powder or metal alloy powder further comprises aluminum.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal powder or metal alloy powder further comprises Al, Ag, Au, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Mo, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru, Sn, Ti, W, Zn, Zr, or alloys thereof.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the metal powder or metal alloy powder further comprises aluminum, copper, gold, silver, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metallic coating is configured to receive paint or a coating.

6. The method of claim 1 , the additional metallic layer being compositionally different from the metallic coating.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additional metallic layer is selected from Ag, Au, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Mo, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru, Sn, Ti, W, Zn, Zr, or alloys thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additional metallic layer further comprises thermal sprayed metal.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wherein the metallic coating has a surface roughness configured to be coatable or paintable and the electrochemical insulating layer is a coating or a paint.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formed article is a component or part of an aerospace vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the electrochemical insulating layer comprises a non-conductive polymer, a cemented carbide alloy, a metal-metal oxide composite, or a combination thereof.

12. A method of reducing or eliminating at least one electrochemical interaction between a metallic coating and a polymer in a formed article, the method comprising:
introducing particles of a metal powder or metal alloy powder or a mixture of the metal powder and the metal alloy powder to a gas stream;
directing the gas stream toward an electrochemical insulating layer present on a surface of a polymer, wherein the gas stream has a temperature and a pressure adjusted to prevent thermal softening or ablation of the surface of the electrochemical insulating layer;
forming a metallic coating on at least a portion of the electrochemical insulating layer; and
reducing or eliminating electrochemical interaction between the metallic coating and the polymer; and
introducing an additional metallic layer comprising niobium on at least a portion of the metallic coating using a cold spray process;
wherein the metal powder or the metal alloy powder comprise aluminum, copper, gold, silver, or a combination thereof;
wherein the metallic coating has a surface roughness configured to be coatable or paintable; and
wherein the metallic coating imparts electrical EMI resistance or lightning protection to the formed article.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the metal alloy powder further comprises aluminum.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the metal alloy powder further comprises Al, Ag, Au, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Mo, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru, Sn, Ti, W, Zn, Zr, or alloys thereof.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the metal alloy powder further comprises aluminum, copper, gold, silver, or a combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the electrochemical insulating layer comprises a coating, a paint, a non-conductive polymer, a cemented carbide alloy, a metal-metal oxide composite, or a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the polymer comprises carbon or glass reinforced PEKK or PEEK.

18. A method of reducing or eliminating at least one electrochemical interaction between a metallic coating and a polymer in a formed article, the method comprising:
introducing particles of a metal alloy powder to a gas stream;
directing the gas stream toward an electrochemical insulating layer present on a surface of a polymer, wherein the gas stream has a temperature and a pressure adjusted to prevent thermal softening or ablation of the surface of the electrochemical insulating layer;
forming a metallic coating on at least a portion of the electrochemical insulating layer;
reducing or eliminating electrochemical interaction between the metallic coating and the polymer; and
further comprising introducing an additional metallic layer comprising a cold sprayed metal comprising niobium on at least a portion of the metallic coating,
wherein the metal alloy powder comprises aluminum, copper, gold, silver, or a combination thereof;
wherein the metallic coating has a surface roughness configured to be coatable or paintable; and
wherein the metallic coating imparts electrical EMI resistance or lightning protection to the formed article.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of the electrochemical insulating layer comprises a paint, a non-conductive polymer, a cemented carbide alloy, a metal-metal oxide composite, or a combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of the polymer comprises carbon or glass reinforced PEKK or PEEK.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Bruton Eric A
• Gaydos Stephen P

Classifications

• B05D1/12

  Applying particulate materials (B05D1/06, B05D1/10 take precedence) · CPC title

• B32B2255/205

  Metallic coating · CPC title

• B32B2260/046

  Synthetic resin · CPC title

• B32B2260/021

  Fibrous or filamentary layer · CPC title

• B32B27/288

  comprising polyketones · CPC title