GOALI: Debonding of Interfaces in Thermal Spray Coatings

William Marsh Rice University, Houston TX

Investigators

Abstract

This Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) award will support research that will contribute new knowledge related to a manufacturing process, which will advance the progress of science and enhance national health and prosperity. This research program studies thermal spray coatings, which are a thin layer of metal that is melted and sprayed onto a surface in order to improve the durability and performance of the part or component. These coatings have numerous benefits and applications, in particular in the automotive industry. Thermal spray coatings have the potential to replace lead-based liners in engines and chromium-based plating materials used in a number of applications. To move this technology to commercial applications, however, fundamental scientific knowledge about the coating performance and its linkages to processing conditions is needed. This GOALI award supports fundamental research to provide the needed knowledge for the optimum design and manufacture of thermal spray coatings. The new knowledge which will result from this research will enable the design of coatings for a variety of applications, reducing cost, weight, and environmental impact over current technologies. This work is performed in collaboration with an industrial partner, Fiat Chrysler Automotive, and Sandia National Laboratories, further enhancing the economic impact of the research. The goal of this project is to discover fundamental knowledge pertaining to the delamination of thermal spray coatings in built-up systems. Results from novel experimental insights will be used to formulate a new model to predict delamination of thermal spray coatings. A fracture mechanics-based model informed with a statistical description of the microstructure will be developed and used to predict the debonding of thermal spray coatings. The researchers seek to quantify the strength of adhesion, the fatigue life of the coating itself, and the stresses necessary to initiate delamination of the coating from coated surfaces. The university-industry-national laboratory collaboration will provide unique capabilities as well as valuable educational experiences for the students involved in the research. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.