Wallwork Heat Treating, England, reports that its Nitron Flight PVD-applied nitride coatings based on titanium, chromium, chromium-aluminum, and carbon/metal carbides improve the performance of key jet engine components. The graded coatings are precision engineered for thickness and composition, from 3 to 30 microns thick and hardness up to 3000HV. They are applied to critical flying parts such as turbine blades and other high-stress components.
Advantages include longer service life, extended service intervals, resistance to erosion and encrustation, and increased scope for material substitution to save weight.
Comparative wear tests carried out by Wallwork Cambridge on Ti-64 samples revealed that Nitron Flight coatings reduced abrasive wear by more than 75%. They can be applied to titanium, steel, and advanced alloy surfaces such as engine blades/vanes for operation at temperatures up to 1000°C. The coatings are applied in a duplex process using PVD in a variety of basic formulations of metal nitrides, and in a variety of single and multiple-layer coatings to suit specific applications.
Applications are many and include landing gear, engine bearings, high-temperature engine seals, engine compressor sections, valve components, and many others. The company offers both standard and customized coatings to meet special situations. Coating processes are Nadcap certified with complete documentation and traceability.
