Practical Protective Coatings for Refractory Metal Reentry Vehicle Components

A recently developed high temperature oxidation protective coating system for columbium and tantalum alloys is described and characterized. Oxidation test data and mechanical property data are given which indicate the suitability of these coatings as thermal protective materials for use in multicycle earth re-entry vehicles. The inherent capability of this coating to be uniformly applied to practically any size or shape part, or even to intricate sheet metal assemblies, is demonstrated. Several types of coated components are illustrated as examples of the adaptability of the process to complex full scale aerospace hardware.