MesoCoat Inc., Euclid, Ohio, has been awarded a $1.5 million loan from the Ohio Department of Development’s Ohio Third Frontier Commission to assist MesoCoat to increase the scale-up of PComP powder production from 18 tons to 160 tons per year. These nanocomposite powder coatings are positioned to replace the very expensive tungsten carbide coatings and toxic electrolytic chrome plating.
PcomP nanocomposite metal-ceramic coatings offer the wear and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials, such as diamond or glass, but with the toughness and resilience of metals. They are up to 70% lighter than tungsten carbide coatings, and up to 40% lighter than the hard chrome alternative, due to the use of light and low-cost nitride-based reinforcements.
Product lines include cermets fabricated into a hierarchical structure by a patented process that produces particle sizes down to the nanoscale. These nanocomposite coatings impart wear and corrosion resistance to metal surfaces and reduce friction in sliding wear applications. The PComP cermet coatings are easy to apply and machine to tight tolerances for dimensional restoration of worn industrial components.
The coatings are designed to act as a drop-in replacement for competing thermal spray materials that can be used in existing application systems based on a unique, patented coating microstructure that combines the high hardness zones of a ductile metal in an optimal geometry.
According to Robert Miller, CEO of MesoCoat parent Abakan Inc., Miami, “PComP powders have consistently demonstrated three to eight times longer life for treated components, at lower life-cycle cost, leading to reductions in downtime and losses. We believe that this is the right time to step up our efforts towards driving rapid adoption of these breakthrough coatings.”
