Russian engineers have developed a hybrid gear made of basalt composite with added diamond powder, which is expected to have increased strength, wear resistance, and resistance to shock loads. The new technology is intended for use in aviation mechanical transmissions, where weight reduction of parts is required without compromising reliability.
The development was presented by specialists from Krasnoyarsk, who obtained a patent for a utility model called "Hybrid Basalt-Carbon Composite Gear". The authors proposed using a composite material based on basalt fiber and epoxy resin, reinforced with synthetic diamond particles, instead of traditional metal parts.
The main feature of the design lies in the material composition. The gear is based on basalt fiber, which is impregnated with an epoxy binder with uniformly distributed diamond powder. This filler is intended to increase the stiffness of the composite, improve resistance to deformation, and extend the service life of the part under load.
According to the developers, the combination of basalt fiber and diamond particles allows for increased surface and bulk strength of the product, improved impact toughness, and enhanced resistance to fatigue failure. The diamond in the composite acts as a superhard reinforcing element that strengthens the material structure.
The gear design includes a hub, a disk, and a rim with a toothed crown. It features a hole for shaft mounting and a keyway. Production is envisioned through hot stamping from a pre-prepared composite blank, followed by processing and calibration.
The developers note that lightweight composite mechanical transmissions are particularly in demand in the aerospace and aviation industries, where reducing equipment weight directly impacts technical efficiency.