Zirconium nitride coated article and method for making same

Abstract

An erosion resistant article such as a turbine blade having, in use, a surface subject to high angle impingement and a surface subject to low angle impingement, said article comprising a substrate defining said surfaces composed of a refractory metal, titanium alloy, refractory alloy, aluminum alloy, superalloy based on Fe, Co or Ni, stainless steel or ceramic composite, and an erosion-resistant coating of zirconium nitride having an averge grain size of not greater than about 3000 Angstroms applied by physical vapor deposition to said surfaces, said zirconium nitride coating preferably having a ratio of the erosion rate at an impingement angle of 90.degree. to the erosion rate at an impingement angle of 20.degree. of not greater than about 1.5 and having an erosion rate at all impingement angles from 20.degree. to 90.degree. at least about two times less than that of said substrate at the same impingement angles.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.