Abstract
In the aerospace industry, the safety of aircraft is paramount. Titanium alloy is the most common safety material in aerospace due to its light weight, high strength and high corrosion resistance. Another issue which is vital to the safety of aircraft in flight is preventing the build-up of ice on the surface of the aircraft or on any of its mechanical parts, hydraulics, sensors or powerlines. During a flight water vapour can catch on the surfaces of an aircraft and because of the altitude quickly form ice which is extremely hazardous. Current solutions include the use of superhydrophobic surfaces which repel the build-up of water which could turn to ice but these are complex to make and tend to have relatively short lifespans. This research tested using high precision nanosecond laser machining on a titanium alloy to create an effective superhydrophobic surface in order to achieve a cost-effective solution for the aerospace industry. A serial of experiments were undertaken on a high precision nanosecond laser machine and the results demonstrate that the laser machined titanium alloy with micro structure is potentially a superhydrophobic surface and it delays freezing time by 25% without any chemical adjustment.
Original language | English |
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Publication status | Published - 3 Sept 2019 |
Event | The 9th EASN International Conference on Innovation in Aviation & Space - National Centre of Scientific Research "Demokritos", Athens, Greece Duration: 3 Sept 2019 → 6 Sept 2019 http://easnconference.eu/sessions |
Conference
Conference | The 9th EASN International Conference on Innovation in Aviation & Space |
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Abbreviated title | EASN2019 |
Country/Territory | Greece |
City | Athens |
Period | 3/09/19 → 6/09/19 |
Internet address |
Keywords
- Titanium alloy
- high precision nanosecond laser machining
- superhydrophobic surface