AVS 53rd International Symposium
    Advanced Surface Engineering Thursday Sessions
       Session SE-ThA

Paper SE-ThA1
Characterization of Inorganic Nanomaterial Composite Coatings

Thursday, November 16, 2006, 2:00 pm, Room 2007

Session: Hard and Nanocomposite Coatings: Synthesis, Structure, and Properties
Presenter: A.A. Voevodin, Air Force Research Laboratory
Authors: J.J. Hu, Air Force Research Laboratory
J. Steffens, Air Force Research Laboratory
J.S. Zabinski, Air Force Research Laboratory
J.H. Sanders, Air Force Research Laboratory
A.A. Voevodin, Air Force Research Laboratory
Correspondent: Click to Email
Inorganic nanomaterials including metals, oxides, carbides and sulfides etc. are mostly lager-scale synthesized and commercially available in powder/colloid states. Therefore, for some special applications such as surface protection and lubrication, there is a strong request to make or incorporate the inorganic nanomaterials into coatings. High density and uniformity of the nanomaterial distribution in coatings are deserved for pursuing the extraordinary properties of precursor nanomaterials. In this study, the coatings containing nanomaterials were deposited using laser ablation from frozen liquid targets, where the original liquid material was loaded with nano-tubes and nanosized particles. This laser ablation source was operated in a high vacuum chamber and was assisted with magnetron sputtering of metals and ceramics to adhere and encapsulate nanomaterials into a composite coatings. The chemistry and microstructure of the coatings were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), focused ion beam (FIB) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Some advantages of the laser ablation technology from frozen liquid targets for insertion nanomaterials into coatings include: (1) good coating uniformity and smooth surface topography; (2) enhanced coating adhesion to substrates; and (3) being free of solvent molecules and contamination-free. Nanomaterial composite coating benefits for wear protection will be discussed.