Nanostructured coatings to protect against corrosion
EU-funded researchers in Geneva are developing 'high density defect-free ultra-thin' sealing coatings that will offer improved resistance against corrosion. These products will be created using nanotechnology to create impermeable sealing layers that will be able to block the ion exchange between the substrate material and an aggressive environment. According to the scientists working on the 'Corrosion protection with perfect atomic layers' (Corral) project, the study will focus on the development of novel nanostructured coating systems such as nanoscale multilayers, and mixed and composite coatings. The coatings will be deposited by four alternative vapour deposition techniques, namely filtered cathodic arc deposition (FCAD), high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS), atomic layer deposition (ALD) and plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD). These techniques possess a unique advantage in that they offer the deposition of highly conformal and uniform films of high density, free of defects, explained the research team. Corral plans to demonstrate the feasibility of corrosion protection by FCAD, HIPIMS and ALD techniques on an industrial scale. During this study, the scientists will therefore define a complete industrial process for the multistage surface treatment, including cleaning, pretreatment and coating deposition. Moreover, they will evaluate all the techniques in terms of technical effectiveness, production costs, environmental impact and safety. The most suitable techniques will be selected for further development on a large scale for application in various industrial sectors, including for the protection of high-precision mechanical parts such as bearings, aerospace components like break systems and gas-handling components.
