14 DAY TRIAL // Rolls-Royce is mostly famous for the elegant and expensive limousines, with an unique aspect and a prestige other car makers can't offer. The shape of the radiator grille and the "Spirit of Ecstasy" hood ornament have become instant trademarks of luxury and wealth, recognized around the world.
Not many people know that Rolls-Royce Limited was founded in 1906 by Henry Royce and The Honourable C.S. Rolls and produced its first aircraft engine in 1914. Yes, they started with aircraft engines, and now it's the biggest British company in the branch.
Recently, Rolls-Royce Corp. has acquired exclusive rights to use a coating invented by Iowa State University researchers that helps turbines stand up to the heat in jet engines. It's actually a new nickel-based superalloy that can be applied to the blades of a jet engine, thus making it withstand temperatures approaching 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit (1149 Celsius).
Brian Gleeson, Iowa State's Alan and Julie Renken Professor in Materials Science and Engineering, along with Daniel Sordelet, a senior scientist and group leader for the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory on the Iowa State campus, are the co-inventors of the technology.
"This coating composition is very good in terms of performance," Gleeson said. "It offers significant advantages over existing coating technologies."
This bond coating, based on a composition comprising platinum, nickel, aluminum and hafnium, will be used inside the hot section of a jet engine and will greatly improve the durability and reliability of a ceramic thermal barrier that's applied over the bond coat.
Dr. William J. Brindley, the chief technologist for Rolls-Royce Corp. said: "This new coating offers excellent oxidation resistance. It's a new concept in coatings and a real step forward in understanding how and why coatings work. The technology also represents a remarkably quick transition from fundamental science to practical application."
The new applications of this superalloy coating have the key advantages of giving the jet engines better performance and a longer life.