TWI Supports Thermal Spray Coating Development
TWI were approached to help with the development of ThermaSiC coatings, a new product from Seram Coatings, Norway. TWI’s expertise has led to a breakthrough in the deposition of silicon carbide (SiC) based thermal spray powders, which are known to decompose at elevated temperatures.
TWI’s longstanding expertise in thermal spray coating technologies, and specifically high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) spraying, and the application of ceramic coatings by HVOF, enabled dense ThermaSiC coatings to be produced using conventional thermal spraying processes.
The TWI team, comprised of Dr Melissa Riley, Andy Tabecki, Dr Feifei Zhang and Catherine Richardson, conducted a number of trials with a range of ThermaSiC powders to achieve high quality coatings using multiple HVOF spraying systems. The coatings offer significant potential in a number of applications across a wide range of industry sectors.
Seram Coatings CEO, Gisle Østereng discusses Seram’s work with TWI
The work was presented at the International Thermal Spraying Conference and Exposition in Yokohama, Japan in May by Dr Melissa Riley on behalf of the team.
You can view an abstract for this work here (for more information on this work please contact surfacing@twi.co.uk)
Gisle Østereng has now handed over the reigns of Seram Coatings to Mr Jens Lehrmann to take the company forward as ThermaSic expands into new markets.
TWI continues to work with Seram Coatings on development of the ThermaSiC coatings, but is instrumental in introducing the material to the industrial supply chain via its Industrial Membership base and a new Joint Industry Project on ‘Evaluation of New Thermal Spray Coating Technologies for Improved Industrial Performance and Cost Benefits,’ which launched on 17 September 2019. A number of key aerospace and defence companies are supporting the proposal, with interest from other Industrial Members welcome.
Seram Coatings and TWI are currently evaluating the coatings for a number of other industrial applications, including an investigation of coating properties such as adhesion/cohesion strength, wear and erosion resistance in harsh environments.
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