Researchers at South Ural State University have created an innovative thermal barrier coating based on silicate glass and aluminum alloy, capable of significantly increasing the efficiency of internal combustion engines. According to Dmitry Zherebtsov, Senior Researcher at the Polytechnic Institute of SUSU, Doctor of Chemical Sciences, the new coating, 1.34 mm thick, is characterized by low porosity (only 1–2%), a smooth surface, and high heat resistance.
The material was obtained by detonation spraying: powder particles were accelerated to a speed of 500–1000 m/s due to a controlled explosive pulse. Aluminum alloy AK4 (aluminum content — 91–94%) and ordinary silicate glass were used as initial components.
According to Zherebtsov, none of the components individually provided the required characteristics: glass is prone to cracking, and pure aluminum forms uneven "frozen icicles" during spraying. However, in combination, they exhibit a synergistic effect: glass expands the radiation spectrum in the gas jet, which contributes to a more complete melting of aluminum particles, and aluminum, in turn, binds glass fragments, providing mechanical strength to the coating.
The developed coating functions as an effective heat insulator, reducing heat transfer from hot combustion products to metal engine parts, in particular, to pistons. This allows raising the operating temperature in the combustion chamber, which directly increases the thermodynamic efficiency of the engine and reduces fuel consumption.