Amorphous Ceramic Composite Coating for Molten Salt Corrosion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current products do not provide adequate corrosion resistance against molten salts, particularly at high temperatures, which is essential for industries such as power generation, desalination, chemical, oil and gas, and aerospace, where components like turbine blades, heat shields, and valves are exposed to molten salts, leading to significant corrosion issues.
Innovation Solution
Development of an amorphous metal ceramic composite coating formed from an amorphous metal alloy, which exhibits superior corrosion resistance to Haynes 230 when exposed to molten KCl or MgCl2 at temperatures up to 750°C, comprising elements like Ni, Fe, Cr, and additional components such as molybdenum, copper, cobalt, aluminum, titanium, tungsten, boron, and carbon, applied through thermal or non-thermal spraying methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional crystalline alloy coatings (e.g., Haynes 230) are used, then the coating provides basic corrosion resistance, but the corrosion resistance is insufficient at high temperatures with corrosion rates up to 0.67 millimeters per year
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite amorphous metal coatings containing multiple elements (e.g., Ni-Cr-Mo-B, Fe-Cr-Al-Si) combined in specific proportions to achieve superior corrosion resistance. The composite structure with amorphous phase and controlled crystalline phases provides both structural integrity and enhanced corrosion protection against molten salts at high temperatures, reducing corrosion rates significantly compared to conventional single-phase alloys.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the coating by incorporating specific elements (boron, silicon, aluminum) in controlled amounts to transform the material properties. The amorphous structure is maintained through specific cooling rates and composition ratios, creating a material state with enhanced corrosion resistance while managing the trade-off between amorphicity stability and corrosion performance.
2Reliability
If amorphous metal coatings are applied to achieve superior corrosion resistance, then the coating provides enhanced protection, but the manufacturing complexity increases due to specialized deposition processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional thermal spray methods with advanced deposition techniques such as plasma spray, electron beam physical vapor deposition (PVD), and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). These methods substitute mechanical/thermal processes with plasma and vapor-phase processes that better control the amorphous structure formation, reducing manufacturing complexity while achieving superior corrosion resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes controlled phase transitions during deposition to achieve the desired amorphous structure. By controlling cooling rates and deposition parameters, the material transitions from liquid to amorphous solid state, maintaining structural homogeneity and corrosion resistance while simplifying the manufacturing process through standardized phase transition control.
3Temperature
If the coating is designed to withstand high temperatures up to 750°C, then the coating maintains integrity under extreme conditions, but the material selection and composition control become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes composition parameters by incorporating heat-resistant elements (aluminum, silicon, boron) in specific ratios that stabilize the amorphous structure at high temperatures. The composition is designed to prevent crystallization up to 750°C while maintaining corrosion resistance, achieving a balance between thermal stability and manufacturing feasibility through controlled elemental ratios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates multi-element composite coatings (e.g., Fe-Cr-Al-Si-B systems) where each element contributes specific properties: chromium for oxidation resistance, aluminum for thermal stability, silicon for corrosion protection, and boron for structural reinforcement. This composite approach distributes the functional requirements across multiple elements, reducing the precision burden on any single composition parameter while achieving high-temperature performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composite coating provides substantial corrosion resistance, preventing corrosion for at least 30 years and maintaining integrity under extreme conditions, outperforming existing materials by significantly reducing corrosion rates.
Implementation Method 1
A number of amorphous metals exhibit excellent corrosion resistance, which has been explained in terms of their structural homogeneity. Since amorphous metals are in principle structurally and chemically homogeneous and thus lack any microstructure, such as grain boundaries, which could act as local electrochemically-active sites
Implementation Method 2
The thermal spraying technique could be used to apply the material onto the substrate
Implementation Method 3
plasma Spraying
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment relates to a material comprising a ceramic formed from an amorphous metal alloy (amorphous metal ceramic composite), wherein the composite exhibits a higher corrosion resistance than that of Haynes 230 when exposed to molten chlorides such as KCl or MgCl2 or combinations thereof at temperatures up to 750° C. Yet, another embodiment relates to a method comprising obtaining a substrate, forming a coating of an amorphous metal alloy, heating the coating, and transforming at least a portion the amorphous metal alloy into an amorphous metal ceramic composite.