Platinum-aluminide coating enhances durability

Severe demands on coatings for gas turbine engines that must operate at significantly higher temperatures than previously required have led to the development of an advanced two-step platinum-modified-aluminide diffusion coating. The conventional system consists of platinum electroplating followed by a traditional pack cementation aluminizing process. This coating greatly extends the durability of hot-section components in environments characterized by high-temperature oxidation and corrosion. Conventionally deposited platinum aluminides, such as Howmet`s LDC2E, demonstrated that a change in material could deliver higher levels of durability. However, the next challenge was to develop a more controllable, faster, cleaner process with improved yield and quality levels. The challenge was met by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). This method is now used to apply aluminum to the part after platinum electroplating. It replaces the traditional pack cementation or above-the-pack techniques, and bypasses all the shortcomings associated with those processes.