United Technologies Corporation

Richard C Novak

Harry E Eaton

Roscoe A Pike

Alfred P Matarese

John J Brennan

William F Otfinoski

James M Goodman

Porous metal deposits especially useful in gas turbine engines as compressor seals are made by thermal spraying a metal powder and a meltable polymer powder mixture, wherein the spraying process and a subsequent polymer removal process are chosen to produce less than 30 weight percent oxide. Oxide contents of 4-25% are typical. When 86 weight percent nichrome is sprayed with 14 weight percent polymethylmethacrylate the polymer is removed by heating in air to about 315.degree. C. The resultant porous structure will have an oxide content of 7% and an apparent density of about 32%. A meltable polymer additionally produces a more desirable pore structure.

Porous metal structures made by thermal spraying fugitive material and

A very thin abrasive material on a substrate is comprised of ceramic particulates contained within a metal matrix. The particulates extend fully through the matrix from the substrate surface to the machined free surface of the abrasive. In a representative 0.38 mm abrasive the particulates are sized normally at 0.42-0.50 mm and have an aspect ratio of less than 1.9 to 1. This enables a high density of particulates, in the range 33-62 per cm.sup.2, while at the same time ensuring good bonding in that most of the particulates are fully surrounded by matrix. When the abrasive is applied to the tip of a superalloy gas turbine engine blade, about 10-50% of the matrix metal is removed after machining. This allows the machined ceramic particulates to project into space and to thus better interact with ceramic abradable seals. In the preferred practice of the invention the particulates are alumina coated silicon carbide contained in a nickel superalloy matrix.

Abrasive surfaced article for high temperature service

A composite material suitable for use as an abradable seal is described. The seal comprises a high temperature stable fiber reinforced glass or glass-ceramic matrix base having at least one layer of abradable ceramic material, plasma sprayed or bonded to it. The ceramic abradable layer has a working temperature up to at least 3000.degree. F. (1648.degree. C.) and is oxidatively stable. The abradable seal has particular utility in a gas turbine engine.

Lightweight fiber reinforced high temperature stable glass-ceramic

Porous metal structures are especially useful as abradable seals in axial flow compressors. Carefully defined oxide content and density provide a superior combination of abradability and particulate erosion resistance. The seals are comprised of 1-30 weight percent oxide and have 27-38 percent of the solid metal density. A preferred seal is made by plasma arc spraying a mixture of 80Ni-20Cr and polymethylmethacrylate powders and then heating the resultant deposit in air to about 315.degree. C. to cause the polymer to flee. The nichrome seal will have less than 15 percent oxide and a density of about 2.7 g/cm.sup.3, about 32 percent of the solid metal density.

Porous metal abradable seal material

A combination of sintering, plasma arc spraying, hot isostatic pressing and chemical milling is used to form an abrasive surface on an article. Alumina coated silicon carbide particulates are clad with nickel and sinter bonded to the surface of a superalloy turbine blade tip. An impermeable layer of plasma arc sprayed superalloy matrix is deposited over the particulates and then has its inherent voids eliminated by hot isostatic pressing. The abrasive material so formed on the surface is then machined to expose the particulates. Next, a portion of the matrix is removed so that the machined particulates project into space and are thus best enabled to interact with abradable ceramic air seals in a gas turbine engine. The ceramic particulates are sized so they are larger than the finished thickness of the abrasive and they have small aspect ratios. Thus, a high density spacing can be achieved while at the same time it is insured that matrix adequately surrounds the particles and holds them in place during use.

Abrasive surface coating process for superalloys

Disclosed is a process for plasma spraying small metal fibers, to adhere them to the surface of a workpiece, and articles made using the process. The process is especially useful for improving the strength of plasma arc coatings, as well as for improving the bonding of plasma arc coatings to substrates. To make an improved ceramic faced metal article, fibers are sprayed onto the workpiece by injecting fibers into the plasma stream external to the plasma gun nozzle. Then, plasma sprayed ceramic particles are caused to surround the fibers as a matrix. The optional interposition of a removable polymer material on the workpiece surface, after the fibers are sprayed but before the ceramic matrix is sprayed, provides an effective way of providing a low stiffness connector between a low thermal expansion coefficient ceramic material and a high expansion coefficient metal substrate. The connector alleviates strains from thermal expansion differences.

Plasma coatings comprised of sprayed fibers

Outer air seal structures of particular suitability for use in gas turbine engines are disclosed. Techniques for improving resistance to erosion while maintaining good abradability are discussed. In one particular structure the ceramic facing material of an outer air seal (30) at the leading edge region (36) is densified by a plasma gun to produce a glazed area (52) which is resistant to erosion.

Ceramic faced outer air seal for gas turbine engines

Methods for applying grit containing abrasive coatings by plasma spray techniques are disclosed. Various concepts for obtaining good adherability of the coating to an underlying substrate and for maintaining angularity of the grit particles are discussed. The concepts employ simultaneous contact of the grit particles with matrix material at the surface of the substrate to be coated. In coating narrow substrates, the substrate is offset from the axis of the plasma stream discharging from the plasma gun.

Co-spray abrasive coating

A preconsolidated tape of continuous, high strength filaments in a metal matrix is coated with a layer of adhesive polymer and cut into shaped plies. The coated plies are stacked in a mold and resin bonded together by the application of heat and pressure. Many of the desirable physical properties of a diffusion bonded metal matrix article are also found in the resin bonded metal matrix article of the subject invention. Also, the use of preconsolidated adhesive coated plies eliminates the need for high diffusion bonding pressures and temperatures, thereby cutting the time involved for the bonding and molding operation by a factor of 8 in some instances.

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Glastonbury, CT, United States of America

Richard C Novak