# US 11,306,387 B2 · Thermal protection system for lightweight hypersonic missile fin > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,306,387 B2 - Document ID: US11306387B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/745,789 - Filed: 2020-01-17 - Published: 2021-07-22 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-17 - Assignees: Lockheed Martin Corporation - Applicants: Lockheed Martin Corporation - Inventors: Thomas Christian Stinnett - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306387B2 ## CPC - C23C 14/0641: {Nitrides (C23C14/0617 takes precedence)} - B64G 1/58: Thermal protection, e.g. heat shields - C23C 14/021: {Cleaning or etching treatments} - C23C 14/35: by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering {(C23C14/3457 takes precedence)} - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - B64G: COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR ## Abstract Thermal barrier coatings for substrates comprising titanium. The thermal barrier coating may include a bond layer, an insulating layer, and a sealant layer. The bond layer may include titanium, a titanium alloy, an intermetallic compound of titanium, and/or a titanium metal matrix composite. The bond layer may have a superlattice structure having a periodically repeating group of layers. Methods for producing the thermal barrier coatings and articles of manufacture employing the thermal barrier coatings. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thermal barrier coating for a substrate, the thermal barrier coating comprising: a bond layer, the bond layer comprising selected from the group consisting of a Titanium Aluminum Niobium alloy (TiAlNb), a Titanium Aluminum Niobium Nitride alloy (TiAlNbN) and combinations thereof; an insulating layer disposed on the bond layer; and a sealant layer disposed on the insulating layer, the sealant layer comprising hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thermal barrier coating according to claim 1, wherein the bond layer has a superlattice structure, comprising a periodically repeating group of layers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The thermal barrier coating according to claim 2, wherein the periodically repeating group of layers comprises a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer comprises a first material, wherein the second layer comprises a second material, and wherein the first material and the second material are different. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The thermal barrier coating according to claim 3, wherein: the first material and the second material are independently selected; one of the first material and the second material is selected from the group consisting of the Titanium Aluminum Niobium alloy (TiAlNb), the Titanium Aluminum Niobium Nitride alloy (TiAlNbN) and the combinations thereof; and the other of the first material and the second material is selected from the group consisting of the Titanium Aluminum Niobium alloy (TiAlNb), the Titanium Aluminum Niobium Nitride alloy (TiAlNbN), a Titanium Aluminum Nitride (TiAlN), an Aluminum Titanium Nitride (AlTiN), a Titanium Nitride (TiN), a Titanium Aluminide (TiAl), and combinations thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The thermal barrier coating according to claim 3, wherein each group of layers in the periodically repeating group of layers has a thickness of about 30 nm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The thermal barrier coating according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer comprises from about 7 to about 8 percent by weight of Yttria stabilized Zirconia (YSZ). ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The thermal barrier coating according to claim 6, wherein the insulating layer has a thickness of about 30 μm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The thermal barrier coating according to claim 1, wherein the sealant layer has a thickness less than about 500 nm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An article of manufacture comprising a substrate and a thermal barrier coating according to claim 1 disposed thereon, wherein the substrate comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of titanium, a titanium alloy, an intermetallic compound of titanium, a metal matrix composite comprising titanium, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The article of manufacture according to claim 9, the substrate comprising an etched portion, wherein the thermal barrier coating is disposed on the etched portion, and wherein the etched portion is formed by a process comprising plasma etching using Plasma Enhanced Magnetron Sputtering (PEMS). ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The article of manufacture according to claim 9, the substrate comprising an intermix layer, wherein the thermal barrier coating is disposed on the intermix layer, and wherein a plurality of ions from the bond layer are implanted into the intermix layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The article of manufacture according to claim 9, wherein the substrate is a component of a hypersonic aerospace device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The article of manufacture according to claim 12, wherein the component is a hypersonic missile fin. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The thermal barrier coating according to claim 1, wherein hexagonal boron nitride has a thickness in the range of 1-100 nm and provides high-temp oxidation resistance from 1000° C.-1500° C. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The thermal barrier coating according to claim 9, wherein hexagonal boron nitride has a thickness in the range of 1-100 nm and provides high-temp oxidation resistance from 1000° C.-1500° C.