Specialists from UrFU and the Institute of Electrophysics of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences have developed an innovative SiAlCN (silicon-aluminum-carbon-nitrogen) coating that protects aircraft engine components from oxidation at extreme temperatures up to 1400°C. The technology combines low synthesis temperatures (up to 400°C), high deposition rate, and hardness up to 31 GPa, comparable to diamond-like materials.
The coating was created using a hybrid synthesis method, combining aluminum evaporation and plasma activation of a silicon-organic precursor. Over two years of testing, scientists formed a dense nanocomposite structure without defects, which is critical for resistance to thermal oxidation. For comparison: traditional methods require heating above 1000°C and often lead to microcracks.
We can apply the coating not only to steel and titanium, but also to fusible materials, such as polycarbonate. The process is scalable for industry — it all depends on the specific tasks
The new material is planned to be tested on components of gas turbines and jet engines. In parallel, a second type of coating with anomalously high piezoresistivity has been developed, which will allow the creation of thin-film sensors with a thickness of tens of microns. Such sensors are 10 times more sensitive than existing analogues.
The SiAlCN coating will increase the service life of aircraft engines. Low-temperature synthesis expands the scope of the technology — from the aerospace industry to microelectronics.
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