# US 9,518,317 B2 · Method of coating a component, method of forming cooling holes and a water soluble aperture plug > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,518,317 B2 - Document ID: US9518317B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/469,478 - Filed: 2012-05-11 - Published: 2013-11-14 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-11 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: Cem Murat Eminoglu; Canan Uslu Hardwicke; Lawrence Matthew Levy - Inventors: Cem Murat Eminoglu; Canan Uslu Hardwicke; Lawrence Matthew Levy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518317B2 ## CPC - C23C 4/02: Pretreatment of the material to be coated, e.g. for coating on selected surface areas - C23C 4/01: Selective coating, e.g. pattern coating, without pre-treatment of the material to be coated - C23C 4/073: containing MCrAl or MCrAlY alloys, where M is nickel, cobalt or iron, with or without non-metal elements - F01D 5/286: {Particular treatment of blades, e.g. to increase durability or resistance against corrosion or erosion (F01D5/288 takes precedence)} - F01D 5/288: {Protective coatings for blades} - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - 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) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A method for coating a component and forming at least one cooling hole in a component is provided. The method includes providing the component having a surface and including a plurality of apertures formed therein. The method includes masking at least one of the plurality of apertures with a plug comprising a removable material. The method includes applying at least one coating to the surface of the component. The method includes eliminating the plug including removable material leaving open apertures in the surface of the coated component. Also provided is a water-soluble aperture plug including water soluble high temperature resistant filler materials including aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, magnesium oxide, silicon dioxide, zircon, graphite, tungsten carbide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, boron nitride, aluminum nitrides and binding agents and dispersants including phosphates, silicates, sugar, salt, gum, resin, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene glycol, and combinations thereof. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of coating a component comprising: providing the component having a surface and including a plurality of apertures formed therein; masking at least one of the plurality of apertures with at least one plug, the at least one plug comprising a removable material; drying the removable material; after drying the removable material, applying at least one coating to the surface of the component, wherein applying the at least one coating subjects the at least one plug to a temperature of at least 400° C. and the at least one plug withstands the temperature of at least 400° C.; and contacting the component with a liquid solution to completely eliminate the at least one plug in one step, leaving at least one open aperture in the surface of the coated component, the at least one open aperture maintaining an original shape and a cross-sectional dimension of the at least one aperture through the at least one coating; wherein the at least one plug, prior to drying, comprises about 50% to 80% by weight of at least one high temperature resistant inorganic filler material, about 10% to about 40% by weight of at least one binding agent, and about 5% to about 25% by weight liquid solvent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes, prior to the step of masking, preparing the component by machining, grit-blasting, sanding, etching, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the removable material is selected from the group consisting of water soluble materials, chemically dissolvable materials, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one high temperature resistant inorganic filler material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide (Al2O3), zirconium oxide (ZrO2), silicon dioxide (SiO2), zircon (ZrSiO4), graphite, and combinations thereof, and the at least one binding agent is selected from the group consisting of phosphate, silicates, sugar, gum, resin, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and combinations thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of a nozzle, a blade, a vane, a shroud, a bucket, a transition piece, a liner, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of applying at least one coating includes applying a first coating at a first temperature and applying a second coating at a second temperature. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the first coating is a bond coating and the second coating is a thermal barrier coating. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein, after the step of eliminating the at least one plug, apertures are finished using a drill. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, after the eliminating of the at least one plug, applying a heat treatment to cure the at least one coating. ### Claim 10 A method of forming at least one cooling hole in a component comprising: providing the component having a surface and including plurality of cooling holes therein; masking at least one of the plurality of cooling holes with at least one plug, the at least one plug comprising a water soluble paste; drying the water soluble paste; after drying the water soluble paste, coating the surface of the component with a bond coat a and thermal barrier coating, wherein coating the surface of the component with the bond coat and the thermal barrier coating subjects the at least one plug to a temperature of at least 400° C. and the at least one plug withstands the temperature of at least 400° C.; and contacting the component with a liquid solution comprising water to dissolve and completely remove the at least one plug in one step, leaving at least one open cooling hole in the surface of the coated component, the at least one open cooling hole maintaining an original shape and a cross-sectional dimension of the at least one cooling hole through the bond coat and the thermal barrier coating; wherein the water soluble paste, prior to drying, comprises about 50% to 80% by weight of at least one high temperature resistant inorganic filler material, about 10% to about 40% by weight of at least one binding agent, and about 5% to about 25% by weight water. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the method includes, prior to the step of applying the water soluble paste, preparing the component by machining, grit-blasting, sanding, etching, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of a nozzle, a blade, a vane, a shroud, a bucket, a transition piece, a liner, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the water soluble paste is applied using a syringe, caulking-tube, brush, or combination thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the coating the surface of the coated component comprises applying the bond coat using high velocity oxygen fuel spraying (HVOF).