Method for manufacturing a erosion preventative diamond-like coating for a turbine engine compressor blade

Abstract

Methods for making an erosion resistant gas turbine engine compressor airfoil substrates coated with a diamond-like coating (DLC), wherein the coated airfoil substrates are protected from ingested abrasive particulates, may include the step of performing. A hydrogen-free chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process by ablation of a graphite target in a vacuum. The DLC may be comprised predominantly of sp 3 (tetrahedral) carbon, and may be devoid of detectable amounts of hydrogen.

1 . An erosion resistant component for a compressor of a gas turbine engine, comprising: 
 an airfoil substrate having at least one airfoil surface; and    a diamond-like coating disposed directly on said airfoil surface.    
   
   
       2 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said diamond-like coating consists essentially of carbon.  
   
   
       3 . The component of  claim 2 , wherein said diamond-like coating comprises at least about 99 wt % sp 3  carbon.  
   
   
       4 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said diamond-like coating has a thickness of from about 2 to 4 microns.  
   
   
       5 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said diamond-like coating has a Vickers hardness number of from about 4000 to 8000.  
   
   
       6 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said diamond-like coating has a coefficient of friction of about 0.1.  
   
   
       7 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said diamond-like coating is deposited on said airfoil surface in a vacuum via a hydrogen-free chemical vapor deposition process from a graphite target.  
   
   
       8 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein said airfoil substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of steel, stainless steel, a titanium-based alloy, and a nickel-steel alloy.  
   
   
       9 . An erosion resistant gas turbine engine, comprising: 
 a compressor including at least one airfoil component,    said airfoil component having at least one airfoil surface,    said airfoil surface having a diamond-like coating disposed directly thereon.    
   
   
       10 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 9 , wherein said at least one airfoil component comprises a plurality of compressor blades.  
   
   
       11 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one airfoil component further comprises a plurality of stator vanes.  
   
   
       12 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 9 , wherein said diamond-like coating comprises at least about 99 wt % carbon.  
   
   
       13 . The gas turbine engine of  claim 9 , wherein said diamond-like coating has a thickness of from about 1 to 7 microns, and a Vickers hardness number of from about 4000 to 8000.  
   
   
       14 . A vehicle adapted for operation in the presence of abrasive air-borne particulates, comprising: 
 at least one gas turbine engine,    said gas turbine engine including a compressor having at least one airfoil component,    said airfoil component having at least one airfoil surface, and    said airfoil surface including a diamond-like coating disposed directly thereon.    
   
   
       15 . The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein said airfoil component comprises a material selected from the group consisting of an iron-based alloy, a titanium-based alloy, a nickel-based alloy, and a cobalt-based alloy.  
   
   
       16 . The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein said diamond-like coating is deposited on said airfoil surface via a hydrogen-free chemical vapor deposition process using a graphite target.  
   
   
       17 . The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein said diamond-like coating consists essentially of carbon, and wherein said carbon comprises at least about 95 wt % sp 3  carbon.  
   
   
       18 . The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein said diamond-like coating has a thickness of from about 0.5 to 10 microns, a Vickers hardness number of from about 4000 to 8000, and a coefficient of friction of from about 0.1 to 0.2.  
   
   
       19 . The vehicle of  claim 14 , wherein said vehicle is selected from the group consisting of a land vehicle and an aircraft.  
   
   
       20 . The vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein said aircraft is selected from the group consisting of a rotary wing aircraft and a fixed wing aircraft.  
   
   
       21 . The vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein said land vehicle is a tank.