# US 2016/0258443 A1 · Airfoil blade

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- Number: US 2016/0258443 A1
- Document ID: US20160258443A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/155,195
- Filed: 2016-05-16
- Published: 2016-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2010-09-30
- Assignees: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
- Applicants: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
- Inventors: George GUGLIELMIN; Joe LANZINO; Enzo MACCHIA; Barry BARNETT; Andreas ELEFTHERIOU; Thomas MCDONOUGH
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160258443A1

## CPC

- F04D 29/388: {characterised by construction}
- B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
- C23C 4/01: Selective coating, e.g. pattern coating, without pre-treatment of the material to be coated
- C23C 30/00: Coating with metallic material characterised only by the composition of the metallic material, i.e. not characterised by the coating process (C23C26/00, C23C28/00 take precedence)
- F01D 5/147: {Construction, i.e. structural features, e.g. of weight-saving hollow blades (F01D5/148, F01D5/16 and F01D5/20 take precedence; blade shape F01D5/141; blades with cooling or heating channels or cavities F01D5/18; heating, heat-insulating or cooling means on blades F01D5/18)}
- F01D 5/282: {Selecting composite materials, e.g. blades with reinforcing filaments}
- F01D 5/288: {Protective coatings for blades}
- F01D 9/041: {using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence)}
- F01D 25/162: {Bearing supports}
- F04D 29/023: {especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps}
- F04D 29/325: {for axial flow fans (blade mountings F04D29/34, blades F04D29/38)}
- B22F 2998/00: Supplementary information concerning processes or compositions relating to powder metallurgy
- Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
- Y10T 29/49336: Blade making
- F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02)
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- 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)
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A fan blade of a gas turbine engine is disclosed which is composed of an airfoil having a leading edge and a trailing edge, and a root with a platform and a blade fixing for engaging a fan hub. The fan blade is composed of a core substrate selected from the group consisting of composites and polymers, and an entirety of the airfoil and the root of the fan blade has a nanocrystalline metal outer layer thereon which forms an outer surface fully enveloping the fan blade. The nanocrystalline metal layer formed of a nanocrystalline metal coating has an average grain size of between 10 nm and 500 nm, and the nanocrystalline metal outer layer forms a structural element of the fan blade.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fan blade of a gas turbine engine, comprising: an airfoil having a leading edge and a trailing edge, and a root with a platform and a blade fixing for engaging a fan hub, the fan blade being composed of a core substrate selected from the group consisting of composites and polymers, an entirety of the airfoil and the root of the fan blade having a nanocrystalline metal outer layer thereon which forms an outer surface fully enveloping the fan blade, the nanocrystalline metal layer formed of a nanocrystalline metal coating having an average grain size of between 10 nm and 500 nm, the nanocrystalline metal outer layer forming a structural element of the fan blade.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fan blade of claim 1, wherein the nanocrystalline metal coating is provided in a single layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fan blade of claim 1, wherein the nanocrystalline metal coating is a pure metal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The fan blade as defined in claim 3, wherein the pure metal is selected from the group consisting of: Ni, Co, Ag, Al, Au, Cu, Cr, Sn, Fe, Mo, Pt, Ti, W, Zn, and Zr.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The fan blade as defined in claim 1, wherein the core substrate is a carbon-fibre composite.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fan blade as defined in claim 1, wherein the nanocrystalline metal coating has a non-constant thickness throughout the airfoil.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The fan blade as defined in claim 6, wherein the thickness of the nanocrystalline metal coating is greater along the leading edge of the airfoil than along a central portion thereof disposed between the leading edge and the trailing edge.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The fan blade as defined in claim 1, wherein the nanocrystalline metal coating has a thickness between 0.0127 mm and 3.175 mm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The fan blade as defined in claim 1, wherein the average grain size of the nanocrystalline metal coating is between 10 nm and 15 nm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The fan blade as defined in claim 1, wherein the nanocrystalline metal coating is in direct contact with the core substrate of the fan blade and is bonded thereto.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The fan blade as defined in claim 1, wherein the nanocrystalline metal coating has a hydrophobic-causing topography on an outer surface thereof to prevent water and/or ice from sticking to the fan blade.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The fan blade as defined in claim 1, wherein the core substrate is a removable sacrificial core.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The fan blade as defined in claim 12, wherein the sacrificial core is provided using at least one of stereo lithography, three-dimensional printing and laser metal deposition.