Develop metal matrix coatings resistant to heat and corrosion

International. SUSU researchers analyze new compositions and methods to obtain coatings with high-entropy nonmetallic and intermetallic compounds.

This development is part of the new Non-Conventional Materials project of the Priority 2030 program. The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (RSF).

The use of additive manufacturing technologies makes it possible to create coatings with a unique composition, which give material properties such as heat resistance, corrosion resistance, resistance to ionizing radiation and the ability to absorb or reflect electromagnetic radiation.

In recent decades, a new technology has been actively developed to produce parts using additive layers of material.

This method of synthesizing products is called additive manufacturing and is used to manufacture products from various materials, plastic, metal, concrete, etc.

Currently, this technology is widely used to create metallic and non-metallic prototypes and functional products.

With the support of a grant from the Russian Science Foundation, it was possible to apply additive manufacturing technologies (laser coating and detonation spraying) to obtain metal matrix composite coatings with a fundamentally new composition.

The coatings consist of particles of highly entropic nonmetallic and intermetallic compounds.

This project is unique in that additive technologies are used to create high-entropy phase coatings from powders consisting of a mixture of pure components or powders of low-entropy alloys.

"To create the coatings, compositions of powder mixtures are pre-created using thermodynamic and kinetic simulation methods. The FactSage 8.0 and Thermo-Calc programs help in this. These mixtures form highly entropic non-metallic and intermetallic phases in the coating matrix," said Natalia Shaburova, project leader and associate professor in SUSU's Department of Materials Sciences, Physical and Chemical Properties of Materials.

The adhesive properties, corrosion resistance in an electrolyte and gas corrosion of the coating samples obtained are analyzed. The researchers also plan to conduct structural studies of the material.

The new coatings, due to their unique combination of performance properties, could be in high demand in several industries, including engine manufacturing, rocket engineering and others where surfaces are subject to heat.

The project received support from the Russian Science Foundation (RSF) to the tune of 1.5 million rubles for the first year of research. In total the project includes two years of research.