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At least 343 records · Page 19

Enhanced Catalyst Durability and Sulfur Tolerance by Atomic Layer Deposition (CRADA Final Report)

This CRADA advanced the use of atomic layer deposition (ALD) catalyst coatings to improve sulfur tolerance and demonstrate improved catalyst durability for biomass conversion chemistries. This project leveraged National Laboratory and industry expertise for ALD catalyst coating development between NREL, ALD NanoSolutions, Inc. ("ALD NanoSolutions"), and Johnson Matthey PLC ("Johnson Matthey"). To better understand the role of ALD coatings on catalyst activity and durability, a joint experimental and computational effort combined bench-scale ALD catalyst synthesis, material characterization, catalyst testing, and modeling of catalyst surface energetics. In addition, to demonstrate the commercial relevance of this technology, scaled ALD coated catalysts were subjected to continuous testing and accelerated aging to validate performance gains. Results were used to inform ALD catalyst coating manufacturing cost models, as well as biobased chemical process cost models.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Performance of Al-rich Oxidation Resistant Coatings for Fe-Base Alloys

Aluminum-rich coatings made by chemical vapor deposition and pack cementation on ferritic (e.g. Fe-9Cr-1Mo) and austenitic (Type 304L) substrates are being evaluated at 650-800 C. For oxidation testing, a humid air environment was used to quantify coating performance, as uncoated substrates experience rapid oxidation at these temperatures. A main goal of this work is to demonstrate the potential benefits and problems with alumina-forming coatings. The higher exposure temperatures were selected to accelerate the degradation of the coating by interdiffusion with the substrate. A general conclusion of this testing was that coatings with less Al and a ferritic Fe(Al) structure could be more durable than higher Al content aluminide coatings which have a large thermal expansion mismatch with these substrates. A lifetime model has been developed using diffusion and oxidation observations to predict coating performance as a function of temperature and initial coating composition. To test and improve the model, additional experiments are now being conducted to determine the effect of substrate composition (e.g. Cr content using Fe-12Cr and Fe-9Cr-2W substrates) and exposure temperature on the critical Al content for coating failure. Because of the unexpectedly low level of Al measured at coating failure ({approx}3.5 at.% at 700 C), exposures of specimens with thick ({approx}200 {micro}m) high Al content coatings were stopped after 10kh at 800 C and 20kh at 700 C because extremely long times to failure were predicted. Post-exposure Al concentration profiles for these specimens were measured using electron microprobe.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Ceramic thermal-barrier coatings for cooled turbines

Ceramic thermal-barrier coatings on hot engine parts have the potential to reduce metal temperatures, coolant requirements, cost, and complexity of the cooling configuration, and to increase life, turbine efficiency and gas temperature. Coating systems consisting of a plasma-sprayed layer of zirconia stabilized with either yttria, magnesia or calcia over a thin alloy bond coat have been developed, their potential analyzed and their durability and benefits evaluated in a turbojet engine. The coatings on air-cooled rotating blades were in good condition after completing as many as 500 two-minute cycles of engine operation between full power at a gas temperature of 1644 K and flameout, or as much as 150 hours of steady-state operation on cooled vanes and blades at gas temperatures as high as 1644 K witn 35 start and stop cycles. On the basis of durability and processing cost, the yttria-stabilized zirconia was considered the best of the three coatings investigated.

Liebert, C. H.↗

Development of a Long-Life-Cycle, Highly Water-Resistant Solar Reflective Retrofit Roof Coating

Highly water-resistant and solar-reflective coatings for low-slope roofs are potentially among the most economical retrofit approaches to thermal management of the building envelope. Therefore, they represent a key building technology research program within the Department of Energy. Research efforts in industry and the Department of Energy are currently under way to increase long-term solar reflectance on a number of fronts. These include new polymer coatings technologies to provide longer-lasting solar reflectivity and improved test methodologies to predict long-term soiling and microbial performance. The focus on long-term improvements in soiling and microbial resistance for maximum reflectance does not address the single most important factor impacting the long-term sustainability of low-slope roof coatings: excellent water resistance. The hydrophobic character of asphaltic roof products makes them uniquely suitable for water resistance, but their low albedo and poor exterior durability are disadvantages. A reflective coating that maintains very high water resistance with increased long-term resistance to soiling and microbial activity would provide additional energy savings and extend roof service life.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

MoVN-Cu Coatings for In Situ Tribocatalytic Formation of Carbon-Rich Tribofilms in Low-Viscosity Fuels

Inhibiting the tribological failure of mechanical assemblies which rely on fuels for lubrication is an obstacle to maintaining the lifetime of these systems with low-viscosity and low-lubricity fuels. Here in the present study, a MoVN-Cu nanocomposite coating was tribologically evaluated for durability in high- and low-viscosity fuels as a function of temperature, load, and sliding velocity conditions. The results indicate that the MoVN-Cu coating is effective in decreasing wear and friction relative to an uncoated steel surface. Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and electron-dispersive spectroscopy analysis of the MoVN-Cu worn surfaces confirmed the presence of an amorphous carbon-rich tribofilm which provides easy shearing and low friction during sliding. Further, the characterization of the formed tribofilm revealed the presence of nanoscale copper clusters overlapping with the carbon peak intensities supporting the tribocatalytic origin of the surface protection. The tribological assessment of the MoVN-Cu coating reveals that the coefficient of friction decreased with increasing material wear and initial contact pressure. These findings suggest that MoVN-Cu is a promising protective coating for fuel-lubricated assemblies due to its adaptive ability to replenish lubricious tribofilms from hydrocarbon environments.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The Development of 2700-3000 F Environmental Barrier Coatings for SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites: Challenges and Opportunities

Environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) and SiCSiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) systems will play a crucial role in future turbine engines for hot-section component applications because of their ability to significantly increase engine operating temperatures, reduce engine weight and cooling requirements. The development of prime-reliant environmental barrier coatings is a key to enable the applications of the envisioned 2700-3000F EBC - CMC systems to help achieve next generation engine performance and durability goals. This paper will primarily address the performance requirements and design considerations of environmental barrier coatings for turbine engine applications. The emphasis is placed on current NASA candidate environmental barrier coating systems for SiCSiC CMCs, their performance benefits and design limitations in long-term operation and combustion environments. The efforts have been also directed to developing prime-reliant, self-healing 2700F EBC bond coat; and high stability, lower thermal conductivity, and durable EBC top coats. Major technical barriers in developing environmental barrier coating systems, the coating integrations with next generation CMCs having the improved environmental stability, cyclic durability, erosion-impact resistance, and long-term system performance will be described. The research and development opportunities for turbine engine environmental barrier coating systems by utilizing improved compositions, state-of-the-art processing methods, and simulated environment testing and durability modeling will be discussed.

CMAS Resistance↗

Enhancing Steam-Side Heat Transfer via Microdroplet Ejection using Inorganic Coatings

During condensation of water on a superhydrophobic nanostructured surfaces, droplets coalesce and jump (droplet ejection) due to the release of excess surface energy. Meticulously designed nanostructured surfaces or coatings capable of droplet ejection can enhance heat transfer performance by easy removal of droplets during condensation. In the present work, the capabilities of the Nelumbo droplet ejection coatings technology currently used in commercial heat exchangers are explored and optimized for materials and conditions relevant to steam condensers. Specifically, this includes (1) adapting and optimizing the procedures and chemistries to deposit droplet ejecting coatings on materials used in the steam condenser, (2) testing of the heat transfer, durability, and fouling of the fabricated coatings under a variety of steam condenser relevant conditions, and (3) modeling of the impact of droplet dynamics and interfacial properties on heat transfer in steam condensers. We experimentally demonstrated that at low supersaturation conditions (S~1.02), developed superhydrophobic nanostructured surface gives a 40% higher peak heat transfer flux and a 17% higher peak overall heat transfer coefficient (U) with droplet ejection mechanism compared to the dropwise condensation mechanism on the same nanostructured surface. Though the experimentally observed droplet ejection mechanism was short-lived (~3 min) due to the limitation of the chiller to maintain a constant supersaturation condition in fabricated steam condenser. And large variations in water inlet temperature (+ to - 2 degrees C) caused flooding of nanostructure (Wenzel state) at higher supersaturation (S > or = 1.12). This is an important finding because typical supersaturation levels in field operation are over 1.8 and as such, either the flooding potential for these materials should be improved or operation at lower supersaturation may be required to maximize heat transfer efficiency. If supersaturation conditions can be maintained reliably in the steam condenser in addition to droplet ejection mechanism during condensation, this could provide a potential 2% reduction in water flow rate which equates to a savings of over 3900 gallons of water per minute for a 500 MW steam turbine and over $0.3MM savings annually given a 0.02 cent marginal water withdrawal cost. It is also worth noting that these savings are based on improvement of droplet ejection coatings over coatings capable of performing consistent dropwise mechanism in in-field surface condensers. Savings due to the droplet ejections coatings when compared to bare substrates could be much higher. Additionally, the present work provides the importance of steam condenser operating conditions and insights into the challenges in modeling the condensing droplet dynamics on surfaces.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

Reflective and refractive optical materials for earth and space applications; Proceedings of the Meeting, Orlando, FL, Apr. 4, 5, 1991

The present conference discusses beryllium mirror design and fabrication, production of aspheric beryllium optical surfaces by HIP consolidation, the control of thermally induced porosity for the fabrication of beryllium optics, fine-grained beryllium optical coatings, light-absorbing beryllium baffle materials, and advanced broadband baffle materials. Also discussed are radiation-resistant optical glasses, a catalog of IR and cryooptical properties of selected materials, durable metal-dielectric mirror coatings, the optical stability of diffuse reflectance materials, and optical filters for space applications.

Riedl, Max J.↗

Novel Functionally Graded Thermal Barrier Coatings in Coal-Fired Power Plant Turbines

This project presents a detailed investigation of a novel functionally graded coating material, pyrochlore oxide, for thermal barrier coating (TBC) in gas turbines used in coal-fired power plants. Thermal barrier coatings are refractory materials deposited on gas turbine components, which provide thermal protection for metallic components at operating conditions. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop a manufacturing process to produce the novel low thermal conductivity and high thermal stability pyrochlore oxide based coatings with improved high-temperature durability. The current standard TBC, yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ), has service temperatures limited to <1200°C, due to sintering and phase transition at higher temperatures. In contrast, pyrochlore oxide, e.g., lanthanum zirconate (La 2 Zr 2 O 7 , LZ), has demonstrated lower thermal conductivity and better thermal stability, which are crucial to high temperature applications, such as gas turbines used in coal-fired power plants. Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) has collaborated with Praxair Surface Technologies (PST), and Changwon National University in South Korea to perform the proposed research. The research findings are critical to the extension of current TBCs to a broader range of high-temperature materials and applications. Several tasks were originally proposed and accomplished, with additional new opportunities identified during the course of the project. In this report, a description of the project tasks, the main findings and conclusions are given. A list of publications and presentations resulted from this research is listed in the Appendix at the end of the report.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

Durability Issues for the Protection of Materials from Atomic Oxygen Attack in Low Earth Orbit

Low Earth orbital atomic oxygen is capable of eroding most polymeric materials typically used on spacecraft. Solar array blankets, thermal control polymers, and carbon fiber matrix composites are readily oxidized to become thinner and less capable of supporting the loads imposed upon them. Protective coatings have been developed that are durable to atomic oxygen to prevent oxidative erosion of the underlying polymers. However, the details of the surface roughness, coating defect density, and coating configuration can play a significant role as to whether or not the coating provides long duration atomic oxygen protection. Identical coatings on different surface roughness surfaces can have drastically different durability results. Examples and analysis of the causes of resultant differences in atomic oxygen protection are presented. Implications based on in-space experiences, ground laboratory testing, and computational modeling indicate that thin film vacuum-deposited aluminum protective coatings offer much less atomic oxygen protection than sputter-deposited silicon dioxide coatings.

Banks, Bruce↗

Ceramic thermal-barrier coatings for cooled turbines

Coating systems consisting of a plasma sprayed layer of zirconia stabilized with either yttria, magnesia or calcia over a thin alloy bond coat have been developed, their potential was analyzed and their durability and benefits evaluated in a turbojet engine. The coatings on air cooled rotating blades were in good condition after completing as many as 500 two-minute cycles of engine operation between full power at a gas temperature of 1644 K and flameout, or as much as 150 hours of steady state operation on cooled vanes and blades at gas temperatures as high as 1644 K with 35 start and stop cycles. On the basis of durability and processing cost, the yttria stabilized zirconia was considered the best of the three coatings investigated.

Liebert, C. H.↗

The Influence of Galvanizing Parameters on the Structural Development of Zn-Al-Based Coatings

The evolution of some layers’ characteristics, deposited by galvanization, was monitored according to the technological parameters of the process. Two types of alloys from the Zn-Al and Zn-Al-Ti-B systems were used for deposition. The structure of the deposited layers was analyzed by optical and electron microscopy. The chemical composition, phases and compounds in the structures were identified. The mechanical properties of the structural constituents of the layers were determined by nanoindentation. These techniques highlighted the typical non-uniformities in terms of composition and properties in the layers, mainly due to the diffusion and distribution of iron from the steel substrate in the deposited layers. The evaluation of iron diffusion in the deposited layer was done by differential thermal analysis. The values of the critical temperatures (melting temperature, eutectic temperature and solidification temperature) were correlated with the parameters used during deposition. It was observed that the structure of the coatings is layered, with a specific order from the steel substrate to the edge. In these layers, the constituents are mixtures of soft solid solutions of Al in Zn (η and β) and hard intermetallic compounds. Moreover, increasing the immersion time in the galvanizing bath and the bath temperature leads to an increase in iron diffusion in the coating layer, which contributes to lower coating thickness, thus reducing its durability in operation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Ceramic-coated metals can survive contact with hot working fluid

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) have been developed as a means of protecting turbine blades and other engine hot section components whose surfaces are exposed to the most extreme operating conditions. By adding a thin, insulating ceramic oxide layer to an air-cooled turbine blade, the difference between the gas temperature and the metal temperature is further increased as a function of ceramic coating thickness, heat flux, and oxide thermal conductivity. An 0.04-cm thick ceramic layer can typically yield a 100-300 C temperature drop. Of the various techniques available for the deposition of thermal barrier coatings, the most common is that of plasma spraying. Significant improvements have been made in TBC durability through the use of bond coat compositions with increased oxidation resistance.

Levine, S. R.↗

Safe and Durable High-Temperature Lithium–Sulfur Batteries via Molecular Layer Deposited Coating

Here, Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery is a promising high energy storage candidate in electric vehicles. However, the commonly employed ether based electrolyte does not enable to realize safe high-temperature Li-S batteries due to the low boiling and flash temperatures. Traditional carbonate based electrolyte obtains safe physical properties at high temperature but does not complete reversible electrochemical reaction for most Li-S batteries. Here we realize safe high temperature Li-S batteries on universal carbon-sulfur electrodes by molecular layer deposited (MLD) alucone coating. Sulfur cathodes with MLD coating complete the reversible electrochemical process in carbonate electrolyte and exhibit a safe and ultrastable cycle life at high temperature, which promise practicable Li-S batteries for electric vehicles and other large-scale energy storage systems.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Robust silane self-assembled monolayer coatings on plasma-engineered copper surfaces promoting dropwise condensation

Dropwise condensation is well known to result in better heat transfer performance owing to efficient condensate/droplet removal, which can be harnessed in various industrial heat/mass transfer applications such as power generation and conversion, water harvesting/desalination, and electronics thermal management. The key to enhancing condensation via the dropwise mode is thin low surface energy coatings (<100 nm) with low contact angle hysteresis. Ultrathin (<5 nm) silane self-assembled monolayers (or SAMs) have been widely studied to promote dropwise condensation due to their minimal thermal resistance and scalable integration processes. Such thin coatings typically degrade within an hour during condensation of water vapor. After coating failure, water vapor condensation transitions to the inefficient filmwise mode with poor heat transfer performance. We enhance silane SAM quality and durability during water vapor condensation on copper compared to state-of-the-art silane coatings on metal surfaces. We achieve this via (i) surface polishing to sub-10 nm levels, (ii) pure oxygen plasma surface treatment, and (iii) silane coating integration with the copper substrate in an anhydrous/moisture-free environment. The resulting silane SAM has low contact angle hysteresis (≈20°) and promotes efficient dropwise condensation of water for >360 hours without any visible sign of coating failure/degradation in the absence of non-condensable gases. We further demonstrate enhanced heat transfer performance (≈5-7× increase over filmwise condensation) over an extended period of time. Surface characterization data post-condensation leads us to propose that in the absence of non-condensable gases in the vapor environment, the silane SAM degrades due to reduction and subsequent dissolution of copper oxide at the oligomer-substrate interface. The experiments also indicate that the magnitude of surface subcooling (or condensation rate) affects the rate of coating degradation. Finally, this work identifies a pathway to durable dropwise promoter coatings that will enable efficient heat transfer in industrial applications.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Thermal coatings for titanium-aluminum alloys

Titanium aluminides and titanium alloys are candidate materials for use in hot structure and heat-shield components of hypersonic vehicles because of their good strength-to-weight characteristics at elevated temperature. However, in order to utilize their maximum temperature capability, they must be coated to resist oxidation and to have a high total remittance. Also, surface catalysis for recombination of dissociated species in the aerodynamic boundary layer must be minimized. Very thin chemical vapor deposition (CVD) coatings are attractive candidates for this application because of durability and very light weight. To demonstrate this concept, coatings of boron-silicon and aluminum-boron-silicon compositions were applied to the titanium-aluminides alpha2 (Ti-14Al-21Nb), super-alpha2 (Ti-14Al-23-Nb-2V), and gamma (Ti-33Al-6Nb-1Ta) and to the titanium alloy beta-21S (Ti-15Mo-3Al-3Nb-0.2Si). Coated specimens of each alloy were subjected to a set of simulated hypersonic vehicle environmental tests to determine their properties of oxidation resistance, surface catalysis, radiative emittance, and thermal shock resistance. Surface catalysis results should be viewed as relative performance only of the several coating-alloy combinations tested under the specific environmental conditions of the LaRC Hypersonic Materials Environmental Test System (HYMETS) arc-plasma-heated hypersonic wind tunnel. Tests were also conducted to evaluate the hydrogen transport properties of the coatings and any effects of the coating processing itself on fatigue life of the base alloys. Results are presented for three types of coatings, which are as follows: (1) a single layer boron silicon coating, (2) a single layer aluminum-boron-silicon coating, and (3) a multilayer coating consisting of an aluminum-boron-silicon sublayer with a boron-silicon outer layer.

Cunnington, George R.↗