The aerospace industry relies on advanced materials and coatings to achieve optimal performance under extreme conditions. From jet engine components to airframe structures, coatings play a crucial role in corrosion protection, wear resistance, high-temperature stability, and other critical properties. Here at Sun Coating Company, we can help you apply various types of coatings and learn more about them. Here are some of the ways that industrial coatings enhance aerospace parts and lead to improved safety, efficiency, and reliability.
Protecting Against Corrosion
Aircraft operate in harsh environments filled with moisture, salt spray, and wide temperature swings. This leads to corrosion issues that can degrade performance and require expensive repairs if left unchecked. Protective coatings form a barrier between the underlying metal surfaces and the surrounding atmosphere. Cerakote ceramic coatings excel in corrosion protection with excellent adhesion and resistance to UV exposure, chemicals, and thermal cycling. The inert properties of ceramics prevent oxidation and galvanic corrosion between dissimilar metals.
Fluoropolymer coatings like DuPont Teflon PFA provide non-stick surfaces that resist wetting and chemical attack. The stable molecular structure of PFA makes it ideal for corrosion protection in acidic exhaust environments. Electroless nickel coatings offer corrosion resistance by fully encapsulating base metals in an even layer of nickel-phosphorus alloy. This is preferable over plating for complex geometries. Conversion coatings like anodizing and chromating impart corrosion resistance through the growth of surface oxide layers. However, environmental restrictions limit their use compared to protective polymer and ceramic coatings.
Managing Friction and Wear
Moving parts like bearings, gears, and engine components experience friction and repetitive wear. Over time, this can lead to premature failure. Low friction, wear-resistant coatings provide a smooth glide surface and hardness to resist abrasion. Materials like diamond-like carbon (DLC) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) minimize friction through unique molecular structures. Tungsten carbide coatings deter wear through extreme surface hardness up to 3000 HV.
Soft, dry lubricants like graphite and boron nitride lower friction without abrasive effects. Fluoropolymers like PTFE reduce friction through slippery molecular chains that easily shear apart. Hard anodizing grows an abrasion-resistant oxide layer on light alloys. The result of low-friction, wear-resistant coatings is improved mechanical efficiency and longer service life of treated components. This reduces maintenance needs and aircraft downtime.
Withstanding High Temperatures
Jet engines, exhaust systems, and other aerospace equipment endure intense heating. Specialized thermal barrier and abradable coatings allow operation at temperatures over 1000°C. Zirconia-based ceramics insulate turbine blades and vanes against hot gas flows. Abradable seals between fan casings and blade tips ablate at contact points to maintain tight clearances. This prevents dangerous gas leakage while permitting free rotation.
Advanced cobalt and nickel alloys resist high-temp oxidation and fatigue. Combining these materials with insulating ceramics and cermets enables lightweight, high-efficiency engine designs. Thermal spray methods deposit thick coatings of corrosion/heat-resistant alloys onto combustion hardware. Line-of-sight techniques like physical vapor deposition apply thin-film coatings of temperature-stable compounds.
Enhancing Appearances
Aircraft exteriors demand coatings that maintain attractive, glossy finishes over years of service. UV-resistant polyurethane clear coats applied over durable epoxy primers give aluminum and composite structures long-lasting protection. MIL-spec coatings like CARC provide chemical agent resistance with a range of colors for military applications. Specialized topcoats containing anti-erosion additives prevent chipping from sand and rain impact. This preserves the aerodynamic shape and radar-absorbing properties of composite stealth aircraft.
Applying the Optimal Coating Solution
With so many coating options available, it’s essential to select the right material and process for each application. At Sun Coating Company, we offer turnkey industrial coating services for the aerospace sector and other industries. Our expertise includes specialized processes like Cerakote ceramic coating ideal for high-heat engine parts. We also apply release coatings for hot plate welding and non-stick surfaces. With decades of experience, we deliver high-quality coating solutions tailored to your application’s demands. Contact us today to discuss your project requirements.