The Problem:
Current methods of powder agitation are not scalable and are inefficient. Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) is a method of producing thin films and material coatings using heat and pressure in a specialized vacuum chamber. During PVD, a source material is evaporated and deposited onto a target substrate. Applying a coating to powders requires mechanical agitation of that powder to achieve conformability.
The Solution:
The inventors have developed a method of generating uniform coatings on powders (e.g., core-shell structures) with high efficiency and minimal exposure to contaminants. The process is unique in that it uses a linear agitation method that is scalable and can be used with immiscible target materials. The invented method has no geometric limitations and applies coatings at approximately 4 times the “deposition efficacy” (volume of coating/energy input) of existing method.
Benefits:
• A uniform coating powder that is contaminate free.
• Serves the need of scalability and coating efficiency on powders which has applications in the energy, aerospace, and nuclear industries.
• Especially useful for additive manufacturing where precise tailoring of power properties is required.
• Market ready for improvements in efficiency of PDV Coatings.
The University of Alabama Office for Innovation and Commercialization(OIC) is a non-profit corporation that is responsible for commercializing University of Alabama technologies and for supporting University research. At OIC, we seek parties that are interested in learning more about our technologies and commercialization opportunities, and we welcome any inquiries you may have.
