Abstract: A method for surface treating a titanium gas turbine engine component. The method includes providing a gas turbine engine component having a titanium-containing surface. The component is heated to a temperature sufficient to diffuse carbon into the titanium and below 1000° F. The surface is contacted with a carbon-containing gas to diffuse carbon into the surface to form carbides. Thereafter, the carbide-containing surface is coated with a lubricant comprising a binder and a friction modifier. The binder preferably including titanium oxide and the friction modifier preferably including tungsten disulfide. The coefficient of friction between the surface and another titanium-containing surface is less than about 0.6 in high altitude atmospheres.

Abstract: Erosion- and impact-resistant ceramic coatings suitable for protecting surfaces subjected to collisions with particles, including nominally round particles that typically inflict impact damage and more aggressive irregular-shaped particles that typically inflict erosion damage. The ceramic coating is formed to have one of three compositions: at least one layer of titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN) having a thickness of about 25 to about 100 micrometers; multiple layers of chromium nitride (CrN) and TiAlN, each layer having a thickness of about 0.2 to about 1.0 micrometers to yield a total coating thickness of at least about 3 micrometers; and at least one layer of titanium silicon carbonitride (TiSiCN) having a thickness of about 15 to about 100 micrometers. The ceramic coating preferably has a total coating thickness of up to about 100 micrometers, and is deposited by a physical vapor deposition process to have a columnar and/or dense microstructure.

Abstract: A thermal barrier coating and deposition process for a component intended for use in a hostile thermal environment, such as the turbine, combustor and augmentor components of a gas turbine engine. The TBC has a first coating portion on at least a first surface portion of the component. The first coating portion is formed of a ceramic material to have at least an inner region, at least an outer region overlying the inner region, and a columnar microstructure whereby the inner and outer regions comprise columns of the ceramic material. The columns of the inner region are more closely spaced than the columns of the outer region so that the inner region of the first coating portion is denser than the outer region of the first coating portion, wherein the higher density of the inner region promotes the impact resistance of the first coating portion.

Abstract: A variable stator vane assembly and a bushing thereof. The bushing includes a metal bushing body and a wear-resistant coating. The assembly includes a rotatable trunnion and a first metal bushing. The trunnion is capable of being located in a through hole extending between outer and inner surfaces of a compressor casing of a gas turbine engine. The first metal bushing is capable of being located in the through hole proximate the outer surface to surround a first portion of the trunnion when the trunnion is located in the through hole. The first metal bushing and the first portion have wear-resistant coatings which are in mutual contact, apart from any intervening lubricant, when the trunnion and the first metal bushing are located in the through hole and the trunnion is rotating with respect to the first metal bushing.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a vacuum coating to a workpiece, including: a coating chamber containing a coating material, with the coating chamber being operable at an elevated temperature and a sub-atmospheric pressure; an electron beam gun projecting an electron beam into the coating chamber and onto the coating material, where the electron beam gun is operable to melt the coating material and to evaporate molten coating material; and, a mechanism for supporting manipulating the workpiece in the coating chamber. The supporting mechanism further includes: a coupling device for retaining the workpiece; a joint connected to the coupling device enabling movement of the workpiece in all directions; an intermediate member connecting the coupling device and the joint; and, a device connected to the intermediate member for moving the workpiece in a designated vertical plane.

Abstract: Method for preparing reduced thermal conductivity thermal barrier coating having improved impact resistance for an underlying substrate for high temperature applications. An exemplary method includes depositing a first zirconia-containing ceramic composition having a c/a ratio of about 1.011 to about 1.016 and stabilized in the tetragonal phase by yttria, calcia, ceria, scandia, magnesia, india, lanthana, gadolinia, neodymia, samaria, dysprosia, erbia, ytterbia, europia, praseodymia, and mixtures thereof, and including about 0.3 to about 0.5% by weight lanthana, neodymia, gadolinia, and mixtures thereof The first material forms a high fracture toughness inner layer having a fraction of porosity of about 0.20 or less, and a thickness in the range of from about 0.5 to about 2 mils. The method includes depositing a ceramic material forming an outer thermal insulating layer overlying the inner layer and having a greater fraction of porosity than the inner layer.

Abstract: A ceramic material suitable for use as a coating, such as a porous thermal barrier coating (TBC) on a component intended for use in a hostile thermal environments. The coating material consists essentially of zirconia stabilized by at least one rare-earth metal oxide and further alloyed to contain a limited amount of titania. Rare-earth metal oxides of particular interest are lanthana, ceria, neodymia, europia, gadolinia, erbia, dysprosia, and ytterbia, individually or in combination. Zirconia, the rare-earth metal oxide, and titania are present in the coating material in amounts to yield a predominantly tetragonal phase crystal structure. The amount of titania in the coating is tailored to allow higher levels of stabilizer while maintaining the tetragonal phase, i.e., avoiding the cubic (fluorite) phase.

Abstract: Ceramic compositions comprising at least about 91 mole % zirconia and up to about 9 mole % of a stabilizer component comprising a first metal oxide having selected from the group consisting of yttria, calcia, ceria, scandia, magnesia, india and mixtures thereof. This stabilizer component further comprises a second metal oxide of a trivalent metal atom selected from the group consisting of lanthana, gadolinia, neodymia, samaria, dysprosia, erbia, ytterbia, and mixtures thereof. These ceramic compositions are useful in preparing thermal barrier coatings having reduced thermal conductivity for the metal substrate of articles that operate at, or are exposed to, high temperatures.

Abstract: Zirconia-containing ceramic compositions that are capable of providing thermal barrier coatings wherein the zirconia is stabilized in the cubic crystalline phase. These compositions comprise at least about 50 mole % zirconia and a stabilizing amount up to about 49 mole % of a stabilizer component comprising: (1) a first metal oxide selected from the group consisting of ytterbia, neodymia, mixtures of ytterbia and neodymia, mixtures of ytterbia and lanthana, mixtures of neodymia and lanthana, and mixtures of ytterbia, neodymia and lanthana in an amount of from about 5 to about 49 mole % of the composition; and (2) a second metal oxide selected from the group consisting of yttria, calcia, ceria, scandia, magnesia, india and mixtures thereof in an amount of about 4 mole % or less of the composition. The ceramic composition further comprises one or more of a third metal oxide selected from the group consisting of: (a) hafnia in an amount from about 0.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a component for a gas turbine engine includes providing a blisk forging fabricated from a first material, inertia welding a second material to the blisk forging to create a bi-alloy blisk forging, and machining the bi-alloy blisk forging to pre-determined dimensions.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a vacuum coating to workpieces positioned on a rake unit, including: a substantially rectangular central chamber; a first chamber located adjacent the central chamber on a first side, wherein the rake unit is positioned in the first chamber after workpieces are loaded thereon; a second chamber located adjacent the central chamber on a second side, wherein workpieces on the rake unit are heated to a predetermined temperature; a third chamber located adjacent the central chamber on a third side, wherein workpieces on the rake unit are coated in a desired manner; a fourth chamber located adjacent the central chamber on a fourth side, wherein workpieces on the rake unit are unloaded; and, a mechanism for transporting the rake unit from the first chamber to each of the second, third and fourth chambers in a desired sequence via the central chamber.

Abstract: A reduced thermal conductivity thermal barrier coating having improved impact resistance for an underlying substrate of articles that operate at, or are exposed to, high temperatures. This coating comprises an inner high fracture toughness layer nearest to the underlying substrate and having a thickness up to about 5 mils (127 microns) sufficient to impart impact resistance to the thermal barrier coating, and comprises a zirconia-containing ceramic composition having a c/a ratio of the zirconia lattice in the range of from about 1.011 to about 1.016 and stabilized in the tetragonal phase by a stabilizing amount of a stabilizing metal oxide selected from the group consisting of yttria, calcia, ceria, scandia, magnesia, india, lanthana, gadolinia, neodymia, samaria, dysprosia, erbia, ytterbia, europia, praseodymia, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A variable gas turbine compressor vane assembly comprising a case structure comprising a cavity. A compressor vane is at least partially disposed inside the cavity in the case structure. The portion of the compressor vane is rotatably supported inside the cavity. A wear coating is disposed on at least a portion of a surface of the compressor vane. An antifriction coating is disposed on the wear coating. A bushing is disposed between the antifriction coating and the case structure. The bushing is in sliding contact with each of the antifriction coating and the case structure. The antifriction coating maintains a coefficient of friction between the antifriction coating and the bushing of equal to or less than about 0.95 in atmospheres substantially devoid of water vapor.

Abstract: Materials, heretofore unknown for use in bearing assemblies, which produce equal or better wear resistance at reduced materials cost have been identified. These alternatives fall into four general categories: solid materials from which bushings and washers can be fabricated, coatings bonded to metallic vanes to minimize total system wear, solid lubricant coatings placed on any bushing or vane stem to reduce friction, and porous ceramic material from which seals can be fabricated.

Abstract: A turbine airfoil having an improved impact and erosion resistance. The airfoil comprises: (a) a base segment having an impact resistant leading edge section proximate to the leading edge comprising a material having having a yield strength of least about 250 ksi and an elongation percentage of about 12% or less; and (b) an erosion resistant coating overlaying the base segment at least in the leading and trailing edge portions of the pressure side, the erosion resistant coating comprising at least one ceramic layer having at least one of the following properties: (1) an erosion value of at least about 200 g. of erodent to cause a thickness loss of about 15–20 microns; (2) an erosion volume loss value (V) of about 1.9 or less as defined by the equation V=H?0.18×E0.75×F?1.65 where H is hardness, E is elastic modulus and F is fracture toughness; and (3) an F value of at least about 1.5 MPa*m1/2.

Abstract: The present invention is a turbine engine component comprising a superalloy substrate, a bond coat overlying the substrate having a thickness in the range of about 0.0005 inch to about 0.005 inch, a thin alumina scale overlying the bond coat, and a thermal barrier coating (TBC) overlying the thin alumina scale, the TBC having a thickness in the range of about 0.0025 inch to about 0.010 inch, and comprising at least mischmetal oxide.

Abstract: An electron beam physical vapor deposition (EBPVD) process performed with a coating apparatus to produce a coating material (e.g., a ceramic thermal barrier coating) on an article. The EBPVD apparatus generally includes a coating chamber operated at an elevated temperature and a subatmospheric pressure. The coating chamber contains a crucible and a coating material surrounded by and contained within the crucible, and the coating material has a surface exposed by the crucible. The process entails projecting an electron beam onto the surface of the coating material, wherein the electron beam defines a beam pattern having a higher intensity at an interface of the surface of the coating material with the crucible than at a central region of the surface of the coating material.

Abstract: The present invention is a bushing for use in a gas turbine engine. The bushing is suitable for use in a gas turbine engine. The thickness of the bushing is increased to about 0.050 inches and the life expectancy of the bushing is at least doubled.

Abstract: A coating material, particularly a thermal barrier coating, for a component intended for use in a hostile environment, such as the superalloy turbine, combustor and augmentor components of a gas turbine engine. The coating material is zirconia that is partially stabilized with yttria and to which lanthana, neodymia and/or tantala are alloyed to increase the impact resistance of the coating.

Abstract: An electron beam physical vapor deposition (EBPVD) apparatus and a method for using the apparatus to produce a coating material (e.g., a ceramic thermal barrier coating) on an article. The EBPVD apparatus generally includes a coating chamber that is operable at elevated temperatures and subatmospheric pressures. An electron beam gun projects an electron beam into the coating chamber and onto a coating material within the chamber, causing the coating material to melt and evaporate. An article is supported within the coating chamber so that vapors of the coating material deposit on the article. The operation of the EBPVD apparatus is enhanced by the shape and intensity of the electron beam pattern on the coating material and on a crucible containing the molten coating material.