High-Temperature Ceramic Coatings as Applied to Aircraft Power Plants

Abstract

The Air Force has, for the past several years, sponsored a high-temperature ceramic coating research and development program directed toward the practical utilization of such coatings on the hot gas components of aircraft power plants. The results of this program will, in many cases, be directly applicable to various industrial high-temperature uses. The objectives as well as the fundamental reasons for initiating such a program are outlined in this paper. A summary of the expected benefits to be derived from the use of high-temperature ceramic coatings by both industry and the Armed Forces will be presented. Such coatings may be used to extend the life of relatively high alloys in such applications as reciprocating engine exhaust systems and high-temperature furnace components where failure is generally a result of such things as oxidation, corrosion, and embrittlement. Low-alloy steels may be coated to replace the critical and expensive alloys currently being used in the hot gas sections of gas turbine power plants. The properties of these coatings and the position of the industrial engineer relative to this over-all high-temperature coating program are presented.