Rotor for reluctance machine and method of manufacturing the same

A method of manufacturing a rotor for a reluctance machine, the method comprising:

• depositing a precursor composition on inner surfaces of a rotor body, the inner surfaces of the rotor body defining cavities extending in a longitudinal direction through the rotor body, the precursor composition comprising an organofunctional silane or a hydrolysate thereof, the organofunctional silane is represented by the formula:
• R1—(CH2)˜Si(R2)a(OR3)3-a, where R1 is an organofunctional group, R2 and R3 are individually a methyl group or an ethyl group, n is zero or an integer in a range of 1-12, and a is 0, 1, or 2;
• exposing the precursor composition to a plasma via an atmospheric pressure plasma assisted technique to form an adhesive coating on the inner surfaces of the rotor body that is covalently bonded to the inner surfaces of the rotor body via a plurality of oxane bonds, the adhesive coating exhibiting a composite structure including a continuous matrix component and a discontinuous organic component dispersed throughout the matrix component, the matrix component comprising an inorganic siloxane network and the organic component comprising a plurality of organofunctional groups bonded to the inorganic siloxane network;
• introducing a filler into the cavities in the rotor body, the filler comprising at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of an epoxy resin, amine polymer, vinyl polymer, acrylic polymer, methacrylic polymer, polyurethane, silicone, and rubber;
• and
• curing the filler to covalently bond the filler to the adhesive coating.

A rotor for a reluctance machine, the rotor comprising:

• a rotor body extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to a rotational axis of the rotor, the rotor body comprising a stack of laminations made of an electrical steel, with each of the laminations including cut-outs, wherein the laminations are stacked relative to one another such that the cut-outs in the laminations are aligned with one another and together define cavities extending through the rotor body in the longitudinal direction and defined by inner surfaces of the rotor body, and wherein the cavities are configured to form magnetic flux barriers;
• a filler disposed within the cavities, the filler comprising at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of an epoxy resin, amine polymer, vinyl polymer, acrylic polymer, methacrylic polymer, polyurethane, silicone, and rubber;
• and
• an adhesive coating disposed along an interface between the inner surfaces of the rotor body and the filler, the adhesive coating exhibiting a composite structure including a continuous matrix component and a discontinuous organic component dispersed throughout the matrix component, the matrix component comprising an inorganic siloxane network and the organic component comprising a plurality of organofunctional groups bonded to the inorganic siloxane network, with the organic component constituting, by mass, greater than or equal to about 20% of the adhesive coating,
• wherein the adhesive coating is covalently bonded to the filler and is covalently bonded to the inner surfaces of the rotor body via a plurality of silicon-oxygen bonds, and
• wherein the adhesive coating has a thickness of greater than or equal to about 0.5 micrometers to less than or equal to about 3 micrometers.