Abstract
Thermal spray powder including a metal and/or ceramic powder composition and porosity forming fibers and/or fiber agglomerates mixed within or with the powder composition. An exemplary TBC or abradable thermal spray coating can be made by the thermal spray powder.
Claims
1-45. (canceled)
46. A TBC car abradable thermal spray coating comprising at least one layer of a material composition that includes a metal or a ceramic, wherein said layer has a predetermined level of porosity resulting from at least one of fibers or fiber agglomerates being at least partially burned out of said layer.
47. The TBC or abradable thermal spray coating of claim 45, wherein the fibers comprise fibers of at least one of: varying or different diameters; varying or different lengths; and/or varying or different materials.
48. The TBC or abradable thermal spray coating of claim 45, wherein the fibers are at least one of: coated fibers; non-metal fibers with a metal coating; carbon fibers with a Ni coating; and/or agglomerates of fibers.
49. The TBC or abradable thermal spray coating of claim 45, wherein the fiber agglomerates are held together with a binder.
50. The TBC or abradable thermal spray coating of claim 49, wherein the binder is one of: an organic binder; an inorganic hinder; PVA,
51. The TBC or abradable thermal spray coating of claim 45, wherein the metal material composition is one of: zinc; molybdenum; nickel; iron; and/or cobalt.
52. The TBC abradable thermal spray coating of claim 45, wherein the fiber agglomerates comprise fibers, a metal component, and a binder.
53. The TBC or abradable thermal spray coating of claim 52, wherein the binder is one of: an organic binder; an inorganic binder; PVA.
54. New The TBC or abradable thermal spray coating of claim 45, wherein the metal material composition is one of: zinc; molybdenum; nickel; iron; and/or cobalt.
55. The TBC or abradable thermal spray coating of claim 45, wherein the fiber agglomerates include fibers, a corrosion inhibiting material, and a binder.
56. The TBC or abradable thermal spray coating of claim 55, wherein the corrosion inhibiting material is one of: a metal phosphate; a metal chromate; and/or zinc phosphate.
57. The TBC or abradable thermal spray coating of claim 45, wherein the fiber agglomerates include fibers, a ceramic material, and a binder.
58. The TBC or abradable thermal spray coating of claim 45, wherein the ceramic material composition is one of: hexagonal boron nitride; calcium fluoride; yttrium oxide; ytterbium oxide; albite; and/or illite ceramic clay.
59. The TBC or abradable thermal spray coating of claim 45, wherein the fiber agglomerates include fibers and either an organic filler or an organic binder.
60. The TBC or abradable thermal spray coating of claim 59, wherein the fibers comprise at least one of: carbon fibers; polymeric fibers; polyaramid fibers; natural fibers; plant or textile fibers; metal or metal alloy fibers; and/or ceramic fibers.
61. The TBC or abradable thermal spray coating of claim 60, wherein the fibers comprise at least one of: an average length of 100 to 300 micrometers; an average diameter of 0.5 to 500 micrometers; a minimum fiber length of 50 micrometers; and/or a maximum fiber length of 3000 micrometers.
62. The TBC or abradable thermal spray coating of claim 45, wherein the fibers comprise at least one of: an average length of 100 to 300 micrometers; an average diameter of 0.5 to 500 micrometers; a minimum fiber length of 50 micrometers; and/or a maximum fiber length of 3000 micrometers.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0059] The present invention is further described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way of non-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in which like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and wherein:
[0060] FIG. 1 shows how a powder (ceramic and/or metal) can be mixed with fibers to form a mixture or blend of powder and fibers;
[0061] FIG. 2 shows a thermal sprayed coating layer made from the mixture or blend of FIG. 1;
[0062] FIG. 3 shows the applied thermal spray coating layer of FIG. 2 after a heat or sintering treatment that burns out the fibers in the coating and leaves a porous microstructure;
[0063] FIG. 4 shows a thermal spray material formed of agglomerates or clumps which are formed of powder particles (ceramic and/or metal powder particles) mixed or blended with loose fibers to form powder/fiber agglomerates—with each agglomerate containing fibers and powder particles adhered to one another;
[0064] FIG. 5 shows a thermal sprayed coating layer made from the agglomerates of FIG. 4;
[0065] FIG. 6 shows the applied thermal spray coating layer of FIG. 5 after a heat or sintering treatment that burns out the fibers in the coating and leaves a porous microstructure;
[0066] FIG. 7 shows a fiber only agglomerate with each agglomerate containing fibers adhered to one another with organic or inorganic binder;
[0067] FIG. 8 shows an applied thermal spray coating made by the thermal spraying the thermal spray powder containing the fiber agglomerates;
[0068] FIG. 9 shows a fiber and non-fiber component agglomerate—with each agglomerate containing fibers adhered to one another with organic or inorganic binder and including non-fiber components such as metal and/or ceramic compound components;
[0069] FIG. 10 shows an applied thermal spray coating made by the thermal spraying the thermal spray powder containing the agglomerates of FIG. 9;
[0070] FIG. 11 shows powder particles (ceramic and/or metal powder particles) mixed or blended with loosely-adhered fibers to form a thermal spray powder;
[0071] FIG. 12 shows an applied thermal spray coating made by the thermal spraying the thermal spray powder of FIG. 11;
[0072] FIG. 13 shows the applied thermal spray coating of FIG. 12 after a heat or sintering treatment that burns out the fibers in the coating and leaves a porous microstructure;
[0073] FIG. 14 shows a scanning electron microscope (SEM) cross-section of an applied thermal sprayed abradable coating of FeCrAlY matrix alloy having carbon fiber agglomerates which have melted and formed dark regions similar to those of FIG. 7 in accordance with the invention at a scale of 100 μm and prior to heat treatment;
[0074] FIG. 15 shows the scanning electron microscope (SEM) cross-section of FIG. 14 at a scale of 50 μm;
[0075] FIG. 16 shows carbon fiber raw material at a 200 μm scale; and
[0076] FIG. 17 shows agglomerates at a 100 μm scale (pre-milled) made of milled fibers and an organic binder and agglomerated using a spray dried process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
EXAMPLE A
[0077] FIGS. 1-3 show powder and coating formation in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 shows how a ceramic and/or metal powder particles P (left side) can be mixed or blended with loose fibers to form a blended mixture of powder particles and loose fibers (right side). This blended mixture can then serve as a thermal spray powder. The fibers can have an average length of 100 to 300 micrometers and an average diameter of 0.5 to 500 micrometers. In addition, the fibers can have a minimum fiber length of 50 micrometers and a maximum fiber length of 3000 micrometers. The fibers can be, for example, coated fibers, non-metal fibers with a metal coating and/or carbon fibers with a Ni coating.
[0078] FIG. 2 schematically shows an applied thermal spray coating made by the thermal spraying the thermal spray powder mixture shown in FIG. 1. In reality, the fibers shown in FIG. 2 would have melted and changed shape. However, the locations of the fibers imply a relatively even distribution of within the coating layer.
[0079] FIG. 3 shows the applied thermal spray coating of FIG. 2 after a heat or sintering treatment which burns out the fibers in the coating and leaves a porous microstructure. This coating can have a predetermined pore diameter architecture (utilizing both an even distribution of pores and extending throughout the coating) and which are sufficiently arranged so that the coating can function as, e.g., filtration membrane.
EXAMPLE B
[0080] FIGS. 4-6 shows powder and coating formation in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 shows how ceramic and/or metal powder particles can be mixed or blended with loose fibers to form powder agglomerates A.sub.FP—with each agglomerate A.sub.FP containing fibers and powder particles adhered to one another. The agglomerates A.sub.FP can be formed by spray drying or mechanical agglomeration. These agglomerates A.sub.FP can then serve as a thermal spray powder. Alternatively, these agglomerates A.sub.FP can be mixed or blended with a powder material.
[0081] FIG. 5 shows an applied thermal spray coating made by the thermal spraying the thermal spray powder formed of agglomerates A.sub.FP. In reality, the fibers shown in FIG. 4 would have melted and changed shape. However, the locations of the fibers imply a relatively even distribution of within the coating layer.
[0082] FIG. 6 shows the applied thermal spray coating of FIG. 5 after a heat or sintering treatment that burns out the fibers in the coating and leaves a porous microstructure. This coating can have a defined pore diameter architecture so that the coating can function as, e.g., filtration membrane. This coating can have a predetermined pore diameter architecture (utilizing both an even distribution of pores and extending throughout the coating) and which are sufficiently arranged so that the coating can function as, e.g., filtration membrane.
EXAMPLE C
[0083] FIGS. 7-8 shows powder and coating formation in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. FIG. 7 shows a fiber agglomerate A.sub.F—with each agglomerate A.sub.F containing fibers adhered to one another with, for example, an organic or inorganic binder. The fiber agglomerates A.sub.F can be mixed or blended with ceramic and/or metal powder particles to form a thermal spray powder (not shown).
[0084] FIG. 8 shows an applied thermal spray coating made by the thermal spraying the thermal spray powder containing the fiber agglomerates of FIG. 7. Although not shown, the applied thermal spray coating can then be subjected to a heat or sintering treatment that burns out the fiber agglomerates in the coating and leaves a porous microstructure—with pores being located where the fiber agglomerates were burned out. This coating can have a defined pore structure or porosity so that the coating can function as, e.g., a TBC abradable coating.
EXAMPLE D
[0085] FIGS. 9-10 shows powder and coating formation in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. FIG. 9 shows a fiber and non-fiber component agglomerate A.sub.FC—with each agglomerate A.sub.FC containing fibers adhered to one another with, e.g., an organic or inorganic binder, and including non-fiber components C such as metal and/or ceramic compound components C in the form of particles. The agglomerates A.sub.FC can be mixed or blended with ceramic and/or metal powder particles to form a thermal spray powder (not shown). In this example, the non-fiber components C arranged in the agglomerates A.sub.FC can typically be of smaller particles than the powder material with which the agglomerates A.sub.FC are mixed or blended.
[0086] FIG. 10 shows an applied thermal spray coating made by the thermal spraying the thermal spray powder containing the agglomerates A.sub.FC mixed or blended therewith. Although not shown, the applied thermal spray coating can then be subjected to a heat or sintering treatment that burns out the fibers of the agglomerates in the coating and leaves a porous microstructure with the compound components in at least a partially melted state and inside the pores. This coating can have a defined pore structure or porosity so that the coating can function as, e.g., a TBC abradable coating.
EXAMPLE E
[0087] FIGS. 11-13 show a powder and coating formation in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. FIG. 11 shows how ceramic and/or metal powder particles P can be mixed or blended with loosely-adhered fibers F to form a thermal spray powder.
[0088] FIG. 12 shows an applied thermal spray coating made by the thermal spraying the thermal spray powder of FIG. 11. FIG. 13 shows the applied thermal spray coating of FIG. 12 after a heat or sintering treatment that burns out the fibers in the coating and leaves a porous microstructure. This coating can have a defined pore diameter architecture so that the coating can function as, e.g., filtration membrane.
[0089] FIGS. 14 and 15 show an applied coating (in a pre-sintered or pre-heat treated state) in accordance with one of the herein noted Examples showing an abradable thermal sprayed coating microstructure of FeCrAlY matrix alloy with carbon fiber agglomerates. FIG. 14 shows a scanning electron microscope SEM) cross-section at a scale of 100 μm and FIG. 15 shows the same coating at a scale of 50
[0090] FIG. 16 shows loose carbon fiber raw material at a 200 μm scale and FIG. 17 shows agglomerates at a 100 μm scale (pre-milled) made of milled fibers and an organic binder and agglomerated using a spray dried process.
[0091] Non-limiting examples of fibers and fiber agglomerates include those described above and in the pending claims.
[0092] Non-limiting examples of powder materials or compositions that can be mixed with the fibers include those used in the incorporated prior art documents as well as those discussed herein or which are conventionally known.
[0093] Non-limiting examples of powder materials or compositions and of coatings formed therewith include those used in the incorporated prior art documents as well as those shown in the figures.
[0094] Further, at least because the invention is disclosed herein in a manner that enables one to make and use it, by virtue of the disclosure of particular exemplary embodiments, such as for simplicity or efficiency, for example, the invention can be practiced in the absence of any step, additional element or additional structure that is not specifically disclosed herein.
[0095] It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.
