Aerospace coating
Enhance performance, decrease operation costs and push application limits
Ionbond coatings for aerospace component coating services
Our PVD, CVD and PACVD aerospace coating services are routinely applied to a wide range of aerospace components. Their unique properties enhance performance, reduce operating costs, and extend application limits, while enabling functions that would otherwise be difficult to achieve. Ionbond takes pride in having our aerospace coatings fly in air and spacecraft, supported by engineering principles that scale from high-load mobility and heavy-duty engines to aerospace systems, where friction and wear must remain controlled under extreme mechanical and thermal stress. Beyond performance, Ionbond aerospace defense coating solutions also support a cleaner environment by offering alternatives to environmentally hazardous electroplating processes used in the aerospace coating industry.
Coatings for airframe components
Common structural materials in the aerospace industry—such as titanium, aluminum alloys, stainless steels, and Inconel—are prone to galling, which can lead to adverse surface effects in contact areas. The related phenomenon of fretting wear can cause underperformance or even failure of critical component coating services. IHI Ionbond offers a comprehensive range of Tribobond™ aerospace coatings for effective protection against fretting, galling, and other aircraft-specific mechanical surface damages.
Typical components include: Engine mounts, spherical bearings, rod ends, fasteners, actuator pistons/rods
Jet engine coating components
Jet engines operate under extreme mechanical, thermal, and chemical stress while meeting stringent reliability and efficiency targets. High temperatures, abrasion, oxidation, and hot corrosion place demanding requirements on materials and surface engineering.
In compressor and fan sections, protection against hard particle erosion is critical, particularly in modern turbofan engines with larger fan diameters. Ionbond applies TiN and TiAlN coatings to protect these components against erosion-related damage.
Combustor and turbine sections require coatings that remain stable at very high temperatures. Ionbond addresses this with aluminum-based diffusion coatings applied through an eco-friendly CVD process. These coatings protect airfoils and abradable seals against oxidation and hot corrosion, while allowing controlled alloy modification through doping elements.
Main engine bearings and other heavily loaded contacts benefit from Tribobond™ PVD coatings that increase wear resistance and reduce galling, fretting, and surface fatigue. In areas with limited or no lubrication, these coatings also reduce friction losses and stabilize surface behavior, supporting component lifetime and engine efficiency.
Coatings for space applications
Ionbond coatings have numerous applications in the space industry, both in satellites and launch vehicles. In many cases, these aerospace coatings have been specially developed or customized to meet unique functionality requirements.
For instance, Ionbond's Tribobond™ coatings are used in cryogenic fuel delivery systems to prevent galling and provide other functional improvements. Specialty Ionbond™ CVD diffusion coating enables plasma thrusters to operate on space probes and satellites. Ionbond engineers have also developed aerospace coatings for extremely high-temperature applications, such as those in rocket nozzles.
Coatings for drone applications
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), often called drones, are now standard in civilian and military missions. They fly longer, run more often, and operate in harsher climates. That puts stress on bearings, gears, shafts, actuators, and gimbal mechanisms. Friction increases power draw. Wear reduces precision and raises failure risk.
Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings add a thin, hard, low-friction carbon layer on critical parts. Lower friction reduces mechanical losses and supports longer flight time without added weight. High wear resistance helps protect lightweight precision components and keeps fits stable across high cycle loads. DLC also resists corrosion and chemical attack from humidity, salt-laden air, dust, and industrial exposure. It remains stable across temperature extremes, supporting reliability in hot and cold missions.
For military drones, this can improve readiness by reducing unexpected failures and wear-related heat. For commercial operators in security, surveying, agriculture, logistics, and emergency response, it supports higher availability with fewer replacements and longer maintenance intervals. DLC coatings are a practical way to achieve long-lasting functionality, efficient energy use, and reliable drone performance.
Coatings for Hard Chrome Replacement
With the implementation of REACH and RoHS initiatives to phase out certain toxic materials, aircraft coating manufacturers and suppliers are looking for environmentally friendly alternatives to chrome and cadmium electroplating. Extensive programs to eliminate galvanic coatings have been initiated by every aircraft manufacturer, impacting the entire supply chain. IHI Ionbond offers aerospace coatings that are viable alternatives to galvanic counterparts and already used in various applications, such as in aircraft actuation and control systems and various fasteners. For each new application, Ionbond engineers carefully assess the function of the existing aircraft coating and then recommend a suitable replacement from Ionbond’s portfolio.
Aerospace coating certifications
The aerospace industry has strict quality requirements, which mandates special attention to the processing of aerospace coating parts. Ionbond has long-standing experience with every step of aerospace processing, including quality procedures, tooling design, coating application, and more.
Ionbond aerospace facilities have the required accreditations, including ISO 9001, AS 9100 and NADCAP, as well as specific qualifications from aircraft makers and suppliers of aerospace defense coatings and systems. Ionbond facilities in Consett (UK), Chassieu (FR), and Greensboro (US) are certified to produce aircraft coatings for Airbus aircraft.
Ionbond™ CVA diffusion coating for jet engine turbine coating sections
Ionbond offers a special class of coatings to provide protection against high-temperature oxidation and hot corrosion in the hot section of jet engine turbines. These coatings are based on chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diffusion aluminizing, also known as CVA, and are offered by Ionbond under the brand name Ionbond™CVD 66.
Unlike pack aluminizing, CVA aerospace defense coatings can be easily deposited onto internal surfaces, such as the cooling channels of blades, vanes, or other turbine component coating services. Additionally, the CVA process allows for doping the coatings with elements such as Hf, Cr, and Si to further enhance their performance.
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André Hieke
Global Segment Manager Mobility
André Hieke
Global Segment Manager Mobility
Frequently asked questions on aerospace coating services
Ionbond coatings can be applied to a variety of materials commonly used in aerospace, including aluminum, titanium, steel, and composite materials. Our advanced coating technologies are compatible with many substrates to meet specific performance requirements.
Aluminide coatings on the internal cooling channels of turbine airfoils or their doping allow to increase the operating temperature of jet engines, thus resulting in improving of overall engine efficiency.
The lifespan of Ionbond coatings varies depending on the application and environmental conditions, but generally they are designed to flawlessly operate between maintenance intervals or through the component’s lifetime.
Yes, Ionbond coatings meet various aerospace industry standards and regulations, including those set by aircraft or engine manufacturers or regulating bodies. We prioritize compliance to ensure the safety and reliability of our coatings in aerospace applications.
Ionbond coatings undergo rigorous testing and certification processes, including mechanical testing, thermal cycling, and environmental exposure assessments, as it is mandated by our customers. These tests ensure that our coatings perform reliably in demanding aerospace environments.