Substrates Coated with Wear Resistant Layers and Methods of Applying Wear Resistant Layers to Same

Abstract

Components with improved erosion resistance are disclosed. A surface of the component or a substrate of the component is modified by coating the substrate with an elastomer layer. The elastomer layer is then modified by embedding hard particles onto an outer side of the elastomer layer. The hard particles exhibit higher fractured toughness providing enhanced erosion protection. The elastic properties of the elastomer experience little reduction because the surface embedded particles are located only at the outer side or outer surface of the elastomer layer. Therefore, the bond between the inner side of the elastomer layer and the substrate or component surface is not interfered with and the potential for electro-chemical corrosion and poor adhesion are not increased by the presence of the hard particles as the hard particles are located away from the inner face between the elastomer layer and the substrate.

1 . A component comprising:
 a substrate comprising an outer surface, the outer surface being at least partially covered by an elastomer layer,   the elastomer layer having an inner side that is bonded to the outer surface of the substrate, the elastomer layer further having an outer side that is at least partially embedded with a plurality of particles.   
     
     
         2 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the inner side of the elastomer layer is free of particles. 
     
     
         3 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the inner side of the elastomer layer is chemically bonded to the outer surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the inner side of the elastomer layer is mechanically bonded to the outer surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the inner side of the elastomer layer is chemically and mechanically bonded to the outer surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of a propeller, a helicopter rotor blade, a compressor blade of a gas turbine engine, a fan blade of a gas turbine engine, a rotor blade of a pump, a rotor blade of a compressor and a fan blade of a heating-ventilation-air conditioning system (HVAC). 
     
     
         7 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the elastomer layer comprises an elastomer selected from the group consisting of a fluoropolymer, a polyurea, a polyurethane and a silicone. 
     
     
         8 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the particles are selected from the group consisting of alumina, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron carbide, tungsten carbide, steel alloys, nickel alloys, diamond, chromium carbide, mullite, zirconia, yttria-stabilized zirconia, magnesium-stabilized zirconia and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the elastomeric layer comprises two elastomer layers including a first layer having the inner side that is affixed to the substrate and a second layer having the outer side that is at least partially embedded with particles. 
     
     
         10 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the particles have sizes ranging from about 5 microns to about 3000 microns. 
     
     
         11 . The component of  claim 1  wherein the elastomer layer has a thickness equal to or greater than about 25 microns. 
     
     
         12 . The component of  claim 11  wherein from about 1% to about 99% of the thickness of the elastomer layer is embedded with particles. 
     
     
         13 . The component of  claim 11  wherein from about 1% to about 50% of the thickness of the elastomer layer is embedded with particles. 
     
     
         14 . The component of  claim 11  wherein from about 5% to about 10% of the thickness of the elastomer layer is embedded with particles. 
     
     
         15 . A component comprising:
 a substrate having an outer surface;   an elastomer layer affixed to the outer surface of the substrate, wherein elastomer layer is fabricated from an elastomer selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane, a polyurea, a silicone and a fluoropolymer, and wherein the elastomer layer has an outer side disposed opposite the elastomer layer from the substrate and an inner side that is affixed to the outer surface of the substrate, the outer side of the elastomer layer being embedded with particles, the inner side of the elastomer layer being free of particles;   the particles being fabricated from at least one material selected from the group consisting of alumina, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron carbide, tungsten carbide, steel alloys, nickel alloys, diamond, chromium carbide, mullite, zirconia, yttria-stabilized zirconia, magnesium-stabilized zirconia and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         16 . The component of  claim 15  wherein the particles have a size ranging from about 5 microns to about 3000 microns. 
     
     
         17 . The component of  claim 15  wherein the elastomer layer comprises two elastomer layers including a first layer having the inner side that is affixed to the substrate and a second layer having the outer side that is at least partially embedded with particles. 
     
     
         18 . The component of  claim 16  wherein elastomer layer has a thickness equal to or greater than about 25 microns. 
     
     
         19 . A method for improving erosion resistance of a substrate by coating the substrate with at least one elastomer layer and controlling the surface energy of an exposed surface of the at least one elastomer layer, the method comprising:
 coating the substrate with at least one elastomer layer, the at least one elastomer layer including an inner side that engages the substrate and an outer side disposed opposite the at least one elastomer layer from the inner side;   partially curing the at least one elastomer layer;   applying the particles to the partially-cured at least one elastomer layer so the particles embed into the outer side of the elastomer layer but do not pass through the elastomer layer to an inner side of the elastomer layer.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the particles are sprayed onto the partially-cured at least one elastomer layer. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the particles are applied to the partially-cured at least one elastomer layer by placing a screen over the partially-cured at least one elastomer layer and pressing the particles through the screen to the partially-cured at least one elastomer layer. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the partially-cured at least one elastomer layer includes a first layer that engages the substrate and a second layer disposed on the first layer and opposite the first layer from the substrate, and
 the coating of the substrate includes coating the first layer on the substrate followed by coating the second layer on the first layer, and 
 the applying of the particles includes mixing the particles with elastomer of the second layer before the second layer is coated onto the first layer. 
 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the applying of the particles to the partially-cured at least one elastomer layer includes pressing the particles onto the outer side of the partially-cured at least one elastomer layer.