Technical Resources
In-depth whitepapers, application notes, and case studies from DRS Research — written for engineers and materials scientists working on extreme environment problems.
Technical Whitepapers
RHEA Coatings for Molten Salt Reactors
Corrosion mechanism analysis, coating system design, and 5,000-hour test results for MSR fluoride environments. Covers alloy selection rationale and microstructural characterization.
High-Entropy Alloy Fundamentals for Thermal Spray
Phase selection, CALPHAD methodology, and microstructure outcomes for HEA spray feedstocks. Includes phase diagram analysis and spray parameter sensitivity study.
Chrome-Free Aerospace Coatings
Comparative performance of RHEA coatings vs. hard chrome in aerospace qualification testing. Salt fog, adhesion, and wear data across multiple substrate materials.
Thermal Spray Processing of Refractory Alloys
HVOF and plasma spray parameter development for high-melting-point HEA compositions. Particle temperature, velocity, and deposition efficiency optimization.
Application Notes
Thick Corrosion Barriers for Heat Exchanger Tubing
Process development and performance data for >5mm RHEA overlays on heat exchanger tube materials.
Internal Diameter Coating for Landing Gear Bores
ID HVOF process setup, fixturing approach, and wear performance data for 12–25mm bore diameters.
Multilayer TBC for Turbine Blade Platforms
Bond coat selection, YSZ top coat deposition, and 500-cycle thermal fatigue test results.
RHEA Coating for Waste Heat Recovery Components
Coating system selection and 15,000-hour field trial data for combined oxidation-sulfidation environments.
High-Temperature Dielectric Layers for Power Electronics
Plasma spray dielectric deposition process and electrical characterization from -55°C to +350°C.
Process Parameter Optimization for Low-Porosity HVOF Deposits
DOE-based parameter study achieving <2% porosity in refractory HEA coatings via HVOF.
Case Studies
MSR Corrosion Protection
700°C fluoride salt environment with no commercially qualified coating solution available.
RHEA monolithic coating with engineered oxide barrier chemistry and grain boundary stabilization.
15,000 hr simulated exposure test, <10 μm/yr corrosion rate — 5× improvement over baseline alloy.
Ethylene Cracker Service Life
High-temperature sulfidation in cracking environment causing premature tube failure every 18 months.
Thick RHEA overlay coating applied to cracker tube OD via HVOF process with graded interface.
4.2× service life vs. uncoated baseline — from 18 months to 6+ years between replacements.
Aerospace Thermal Cycling
500-cycle thermal fatigue requirement in turbine platform environment — no chrome-free solution qualified.
Multilayer TBC system with RHEA bond coat and YSZ top coat, optimized for CTE compatibility.
Zero spallation after 500 cycles — full qualification achieved for chrome-free aerospace supply chain.
Waste Heat Recovery
Combined oxidation-sulfidation at 900°C in waste heat recovery boiler — 12-month component life.
Graded RHEA coating system with compositionally optimized outer layer for sulfidation resistance.
4.2× life improvement in field deployment — component now replaced on scheduled maintenance intervals.
Technical Insights
Why Multi-Principal-Element Alloys Outperform Single-Element Coatings in Fluoride Environments
A technical examination of the corrosion mechanisms in molten fluoride salt and how RHEA composition engineering addresses each failure mode at the atomic scale.
The Case for Internal Diameter Thermal Spray in Aerospace Landing Systems
Comparing ID HVOF, electroplating, and sleeve-based approaches for landing gear bore restoration — performance, weight, and compliance considerations.
CALPHAD-Guided Alloy Selection for Thermal Spray Feedstocks
How computational thermodynamics accelerates the development cycle for new HEA compositions — from phase diagram prediction to spray trial validation.
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We publish 2–4 technical updates per quarter. No spam — only substantive content for engineers working on extreme environment problems.
We publish 2–4 technical updates per quarter. No spam.