7. Gobinder Saha, Sr. R&D Scientist, Hyperion Technologies Inc.

Nanostructured
composite coatings for oil
sands applications
Dr. Gobinda Saha, P.Eng.
Senior R&D Scientist
Hyperion Technology Inc.,
Calgary, AB

Developing High Performance Protective Coatings
“With key support from Alberta
Ingenuity, NSERC and collaboration with
the University of Calgary, Hyperion
Technologies Inc. is developing new, and
significantly enhancing other, high
performance Protective Coatings, through
the use of Nanostructured Materials and
Plasma‐Deposition Techniques to yield
dramatic improvements in corrosion,
abrasion, erosion, sliding wear and impact
resistance

Nanostructured Cer-Met Coating
Technology Highlights
Plasma-Enhanced DLC Coating

Oil and Gas Sectors
Nano‐HVOF and Nano‐Electrodeposited Abrasion and Impact‐resistant
Coatings ‐ focused on Conventional O&G (Frac/Cement Pumps, Rod
and PCP Pumps, Mud Motor and Drilling Tools, etc.), as well as the
Oil Sands (Wear Plates, Bucket Teeth, Crusher Teeth, etc.)
Plasma‐Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition of Diamond‐Like Carbon
(DLC) Corrosion‐Stopping, Wear‐resistant Coatings, as well as
Titanium Carbide, Titanium Nitride and other very high performance
Coatings ‐ already shown very significant improvement over
alternative wear prevention methods for Pump, Valve, Mud Motor,
etc.
Immediately Addressable Market exceeds $25M/year.

Hauler wear plates
Coil Tubing

Potential of sprayed nanostructured
composite coatings
Increase in surface hardness;
Wear resistance can be doubled;
Thinner coatings can be applied;
Does not add weight to the component;
Can treat a variety of surface shapes;
and contours.

HVOF coating process
Sulzer Metco J2700 spray gun.
Spraying parameters:
•Oxygen/Hydrogen
•Methane/propylene-fuel
•Nitrogen carrier gas

Powder morphology and
structure
(a)
(b)
SEM micrograph showing spray dried: (a) Nanostructured
powder for spraying; (b) Duplex Co
coated powder.

Powder morphology and
microstructure
(a)
SEM micrograph showing: (a) Micro-crystalline WC-17%Co
powder for spraying; (b) Cross-sections of micro-crystalline
powder [6]
(b)
J. M. Guilemany, S. Dosta and J. R. Miguel: Surface and Coatings Technology, (2006), Vol. 201, pp.1180-1190.

HVOF sprayed nanostructured WC-Co
coating

Comparison in surface hardness
1600
1400
1200
Vickers hardness, VHN
1000
800
600
400
200
Nano, WC-17%Co
Micro, WC-Co
C-Mn hardened steel
Carbon steel AISI 1018
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Distance from coating surface, μm

Comparison in wear resistance
90
Wear rate, mm 3 /MPa
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
Nano
Micro
Hardened steel
Carbon steel
10
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
Sliding distance, m
Volume loss as a function of sliding distance showing a
comparison between Nanostructured and Conventional WC-
17Co coatings

Comparison of wear tracks
Untreated
Microcrystalline
(WC-17Co)
Nanostructured (WC-17Co)

Electrodeposited
Nanostructured Coating
• Surface roughness
of the coatings:
0.34 – 0.37 µm
• Homogeneous distribution
of Al 2 O 3 particles
• Uniform coat thickness

Electrodeposited
Nanostructured Coating
Width of the wear track of the coatings decreased with
increasing the amount of the Al 2 O 3 particles in the
plating bath
Optical micrographs of wear tracks:
(A) substrate,
(B) coating with 50 g/l particle, and
(C) coating with 10 g/l particle

Connecting Globally
Partnerships and Joint Ventures
Q Oilfield Protective Coatings is a JV focused on application of Protective Coatings
for Bottom‐Hole Pumps with Quinn Pumps, Red Deer
Hyperion and California Nanotechnologies have formed a JV focused on Abrasion,
Impact and Corrosion‐resistant HVOF and PTA Coatings
Hyperion & RH Al‐Marri & Sons have formed a JV in Saudi Arabia to exploit our
Tank and Pipe Linings, Diamond‐Like Carbon (DLC) and high‐performance HVOF
Tungsten/Chromium Carbide Coatings for Saudi Arabia and other customers in
the Middle East
Hyperion and TechWest (Calgary) are partnering to apply Corrosion and Slurryresistant
Coatings to Pipelines in Cuba as well as other opportunities in Europe
Hyperion, Yelo Pump, TARCO International collaborating on large opportunities
for new Pump Technology and Protective Coatings in Mexico and Colombia