Systematic development of customized CVD coatings

To a great extent coatings for structural applications have been developed by a combination of insight and empiricism. This approach has failed to provide a scientific and systematic base for future design and development of new and/or improved coatings. The difficulty arises from the innumerable process and structural parameters that need to be understood and controlled accurately. Therefore, it is essential that future improvements or development of novel coatings take a multidisciplinary approach using fundamental principles related to equilibrium thermodynamics and process kinetics. Discussion is centered on the utilization of such an approach to formulate concepts that can aid in the design and development of tailored coatings. Specific examples of several coating systems currently under development are discussed. The intent is to show that the total solution to the systematic development of customized coatings requires a combination of both fundamental analysis and a pragmatic process optimization approach.