Coatings for Carbon Fiber Composites

The increased need for composite structures and components to reduce weight, inertia and other engineering factors has created the need to improve the surface properties of these composites to prevent wear, corrosion, EMI/RFI leakage, oxidation, etc. Thermal spray coatings can be applied as thermal barriers (TBC), for wear resistance, corrosion resistance, oxidation barriers, and much more.

When engineering a coating for composite parts, Thermal Spray Technologies uses its strong expertise in materials engineering and its strength of understanding the processes of thermal spray to produce solutions. Solutions include the unique transition layers and surface preparation techniques required to enhance adhesion, mitigate stress, and enhance coating performance. The combination of this knowledge provides application specific solutions to our customers’ coating needs.

Coating Materials

There are few limitations to thermal coating materials that can be applied to composite parts. Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), chromium oxide, aluminum oxide, tungsten carbide, aluminum, tin, zinc, nickel chromium, and many more have been applied to production composite materials.

Substrate Materials

Typical coated composite materials include carbon-carbon, carbon-phenolic, glass-epoxy, paper-phenolic, concrete, Micarta®, and so on. Each material has unique challenges that require different thermal spray materials, surface preparations, and processes.

Examples

TBC’s have been applied to paper-phenolic honeycomb structures for engine cowlings. Wear resistant coatings have been applied to carbon-phenolic bicycle rims and paper manufacturing rolls. EMI/RFI shielding is applied to carbon fiber composites of all types. Oxidation barriers have been applied to carbon fiber composite aircraft brakes.

Carbon fiber composite coated to provide EMI/RFI shielding